Page 407 - Week 01 - Thursday, 17 February 2011

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(2) What proportion is this of the 2010-11 Budget for legal advice for each department or agency in the portfolio.

(3) What was the purpose of the legal advice that has been received.

(4) How much of this has been for legal advice directly related to court cases.

(5) How much legal advice has been (a) used for the development of legislation and (b) provided ‘in-kind’.

Mr Corbell: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:

(1) The ACT Government Solicitor provides legal services for Government and most agencies, including all agencies under my portfolios. The Government Solicitor’s full-year budget is included in Output 1.2 Legal Services to Government which is shown in the 2010-11 Budget Paper No 4. The total cost of Output 1.2 for legal advice and other legal services to 31 December 2010 was $4.35m.

The Department also manages legal matters on behalf of the Territory. The Territorial legal advice and counsel costs incurred to 31 December 2010 was approximately $780,000.

(2) The total cost of Output 1.2 to 31 December 2010 is approximately 51% of the Output’s annual budget. The Territorial legal advice and legal counsel costs incurred to 31 December 2010 is approximately 37% of the annual budget.

(3) Legal advice is received on a range of matters.

(4) It is not practicable to disaggregate advice relating to court cases from the totality of advice provided as the focus of advice on a particular issue may change over time (eg commence as not relating to a court case, related to a court case, relate to negotiation).

(5) It is not practicable to readily identify legal advice relating to the development of legislation. Advice of this kind may come from the Government Solicitor, Parliamentary Counsel, agency policy staff, specialist agencies. It is not clear what “provided in kind” is intended to include.

Government—legal advice
(Question Nos 1340 and 1341)

Mr Seselja asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Water and the Minister for Energy, upon notice, on 8 December 2010:

(1) What is the cost of legal advice in the Minister’s portfolio to date in 2010-11 and to which department or agency does this apply.