In December 2008 the federal government that during 2009 it will introduce amendments to give the Federal Court a central role in managing all native title claims. This paper outlines the proposed changes.In December 2008 the federal government that during 2009 it will introduce amendments to give the Federal Court a central role in managing...

The Standing Committee of Attorneys-General is working on a project to design a national model Bill for a spent-convictions scheme. A spent-convictions scheme provides for certain criminal convictions to be disregarded, for most purposes, after a sufficient period of good behaviour. All Australian jurisdictions except Victoria and South Australia already have such schemes, and New...

This report proposes a single administrative and corporate service structure for the total federal family law system designed to meet the requirements of litigants and their families. It recommends that existing Federal Magistrates be offered commissions to the General Division of the Family Court which would become a lower tier of that Court. Existing Family...

The Australian government is considering whether Australia should accede to the United Nations Convention on the Use of Electronic Communications in International Contracts 2005. This consultation paper seeks public comment on whether Australia should accede to the Convention, and on proposed amendments to allow this to occur. The Australian Government, in consultation with the states...

Non-consensual genetic testing occurs when bodily samples are taken and genetically tested without the consent of the individual to whom they relate. Biomedical technology enables genetic testing to be performed on minute bodily samples. Genetic information may be derived from samples such as hair follicles, saliva left on a glass or cigarette, cheek cells left...