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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-04-07 Daily Xml
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LAW REFORM INSTITUTE

Mr PICCOLO (Light) (14:21): My question is to the Attorney-General. Can the Attorney-General inform the house about a new body formed to streamline laws and improve access to justice?

The Hon. J.R. RAU (Enfield—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Justice, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Tourism, Minister for Food Marketing) (14:21): Members of the house may be interested to know that towards the end of last year an agreement was reached between the University of Adelaide, the Law Society and the Attorney-General's Department to bring into being a law reform institute, which will be housed at the University of Adelaide. This is something which I regard as a very positive and exciting development for law reform in South Australia. Members may be aware that South Australia really has not had a law reform commission since the 1980s and up until now has been the only jurisdiction not to have one in any way, shape or form. That, however, is now a feature of the past.

The institute is governed by a board which has appointees from the Law Society, from the courts and so forth, as well as the Attorney-General's Department. Presently the director is Professor John Williams of the University of Adelaide. Also being board members are Ingrid Haythorpe, who is a member of the Attorney-General's Department, Rosemary Owens, the Dean of the University of Adelaide Law School—

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. J.R. RAU: Indeed. Terry Evans, who is a nominee of the Law Society of South Australia, Justice Tom Gray from the Supreme Court, Justice David Bleby from the Supreme Court and Jonathan Wells QC, who was nominated by the SA Bar Association.

I can report that the inaugural meeting of the board was held last night and I was delighted to be able to attend that meeting for a period of time. I would like to indicate to the house that the board has formed the view that they are intending to make inquiries into two matters, the terms of reference for which are being settled now. I can advise the parliament that the first area that the board will be looking at is the modernisation of the Evidence Act to deal with new technologies, and the exact framework of that inquiry, as I said, is being worked through by members of the board at the present time.

The second matter, which is a very important matter, I think, for all of us, because it is a matter which will ultimately concern all of us, is a review of the law in South Australia regarding wills and estates. I am pleased to say that Mr Frost, whom I am sure the member for Bragg knows and who is a very well respected solicitor in Adelaide, and his committee in the Law Society are going to be involved in that matter. In due course I will get back to the parliament with more details about exactly what the terms of reference for these inquiries are.

In conclusion, I would just like to say how absolutely delighted I am to have the people of the calibre that we have on this board and that this is a very positive step for South Australia. I look forward to being able to keep the parliament advised of developments with the institute.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

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