Statement of condolence on the passing of Judge Guy Andrew

The Law Council of Australia is deeply saddened to learn of the recent passing of Judge Guy Andrew in tragic circumstances.

Law Council President, Ms Pauline Wright, said “The Law Council extends its sincere condolences to the Judge’s family, friends and colleagues. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with them at this difficult time.”

Judge Andrew was appointed as Townsville’s sole full-time resident judge of the Federal Circuit Court of Australia in March 2019, after an impressive career which included extensive practice with Legal Aid Queensland, then at the private Bar in crime and family law. Read more.

Courts win funding but wider legal sector misses out
The Law Council of Australia applauds the government’s material injection of $35.7million, over four years, for resourcing and judicial numbers in the Federal Circuit Court, and acknowledges the overall investment of a projected $132.1million, aimed at expediting the handling of family law and other matters over the same period. Read more.

Government provides funding to Launceston registry
The Law Council of Australia, the Law Society of Tasmania and the Family Law Practitioners Association of Tasmania (FLPA), welcome the much-needed capital injection of $5.4 million over four years, and earmarked for the relocation of the Launceston Federal Circuit Court of Australia registry. Read more.

Domestic Violence & Covid-19 Prevention & Response Webinar
In collaboration with Affinity Intercultural Foundation, Law Council President, Pauline Wright, participated in an online webinar on domestic violence and mental health. Watch the webinar online here.

Caves destruction illustrates need for review and reform of Commonwealth legislation
The systemic failure of Australia’s Commonwealth, State and Territory legislation to protect cultural heritage, has been exemplified by the incident that occurred at the Juukan Gorge, according to the Law Council of Australia. Read more.

Welcome move by government to bring Australia closer to a permanent digital business plan
The Law Council of Australia applauds the government’s commitment to a digital plan that will remove outdated regulatory barriers to doing business. This includes improving the ability to undertake the witnessing and signing of crucial documents as well as filing or registering documents with governmental and regulatory agencies electronically. Read more.

International Convention on the Rights of Older Persons
The Law Council has recently adopted an in-principle position in support of the development of an international Convention on the Rights of Older Persons (International Convention). It considers the International Convention to have the potential to play an important role in improving the lives of older people globally, and in turn to inform Australia’s own domestic legal and policy frameworks. Read more.

2020 Australian Young Lawyer Awards
The 2020 Australian Young Lawyer Awards are still open. Nominations close 16 October 2020. The awards aim to encourage and foster young lawyer organisations to establish programs for the benefit and assistance of the profession and the community, and to recognise and reward the achievement and contributions of individual lawyers. Learn more.

Advocacy

Inquiries and consultations as of 2 October 2020.

National Commissioner for Defence and Veteran Suicide Prevention, Attorney-General’s Department / National Commissioner.
Review of AFP powers: control orders; preventative detention orders; stop, search and seizure powers; and continuing detention orders, Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (supplementary)
Crimes Legislation Amendment (Economic Disruption) Bill 2020, Parliamentary Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee.
National Commissioner for Defence and Veteran Suicide Prevention Bill 2020 and the National Commissioner for Defence and Veteran Suicide Prevention (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2020, Parliamentary Senate Standing Committees on Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade.
Draft Practical Compliance Guideline PCG 2017/4DC2 ATO compliance approach to taxation issues associated with cross-border related party financing arrangements and related transactions, Australian Taxation Office.
Industry Consultation on Financial Products and the Personal Property Securities Act (Cth), Attorney General’s Department.
Digital platform services inquiry 2020-2025, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
Review of the Lands Acquisition Act 1989 (Cth), Department of Finance.
Review of the Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (High Risk Terrorist Offenders) Bill 2020, Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security.
Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability, Royal Commission.
A new National Disability Strategy – Stage 2 consultations, Department of Social Services.
Review of Part 14 of the Telecommunications Act 1997 – Telecommunications Sector Security Reforms, Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security.
Australia-European Union Free Trade Agreement: Consultation on a Possible New Geographical Indications Right, IP Australia.
Review of Judicial Impartiality, Australian Law Reform Commission.
Review into the Framework of Religious Exemptions in Anti-discrimination Legislation, Australian Law Reform Commission.
Guidance for digital check-in providers collecting personal information for contact tracing, Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.
Review of the Legislative Framework for Corporations and Financial Services Regulation, Australian Law Reform Commission.

News and Media

Media releases and statements:

Statement of condolence on the passing of Judge Guy Andrew, 8 October 2020.
Government provides funding to Launceston registry, 8 October 2020.
Courts win funding but wider legal sector misses out, 6 October 2020.
Caves destruction illustrates need for review and reform of Commonwealth legislation, 2 October 2020.
Welcome move by government to bring Australia closer to a permanent digital business plan, 30 September 2020.

Key coverage:

Current legislation failing to protect cultural heritage sites, Lawyers Weekly, 7 October 2020.
Convention on the Rights of Older Persons should be developed, Lawyers Weekly, 5 October 2020
Today's feminism a case of all whine and no roar, The Australian, 3 October 2020.
Heritage bill 'needs closer scrutiny', The Australian, 3 October 2020.
Peak mining body says federal laws protecting Aboriginal heritage do not need strengthening, The Guardian, 2 October 2020.
Government's $800m digital push removes regulatory barriers, Lawyers Weekly, 2 October 2020.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death shows the top courts in the United States and Australia are very different beasts, ABC online, 28 September 2020.
Ginsburg lament echoes in our courts, The Australian, 28 September 2020.
Major legal body concerned with insolvency rule change, Lawyers Weekly, 28 September 2020.
Hundreds of COVID-19 custody cases fast-tracked through courts, The West Australian, 25 September 2020.
Australia's treaty row with Hong Kong means help with police investigations 'on hold', The Guardian, 24 September 2020.

Events

October

20 October 2020 - ILS International Law and Practice Course 2020 Lecture Four
Host: International Law Section
Time: 5.00pm - 6.30pm
Location: Webinar via Zoom
23 October 2020 - World Masters Webinar Series - Session One
Host: Legal Practice Section
Time: 9.30am - 10.30am
Location: Webinar via Zoom
26 October 2020 - Insights into e-Legal and Mediation Processes Webinar
Host: International Law Section, Federal Litigation and Dispute Resolution Section, and the New South Wales Bar Association.
Time: 5.00 - 6.00 pm
Location: Webinar via Zoom

November

2-27 November 2020 - IBA 2020 Virtually Together Conference
Host: International Bar Association
Location: online
17 November 2020 - ILS International Law and Practice Course 2020 Lecture Five
Host: International Law Section
Time: 5.00pm - 6.00pm
Location: Webinar via Zoom