09.05.1993
Personal property securities
This inquiry begain in June 1990, when the method of dealing with personal property securities was both complex and inefficient. A complicated and often overlapping range of laws applied depending on the nature of the security, the type of property the security was taken out over and the class of debtor.These laws were a mixture …
Read more09.09.1992
Customs and excise
In November 1987 the ALRC was asked to review the Customs Act 1901 and the Excise Act 1901. Both Acts were outdated. Approximately 68 Acts amending the two pieces of legislation had been passed between 1901 and 1989, causing uncertainty as to the state of the law.The final report (ALRC Report 60) aimed to simplify …
Read more09.05.1992
Choice of law
ALRC Report 58, released in May 1992, examined existing rules governing choice of law and procedure in federal and territory courts and considered whether reform was necessary to make these rules adequate and appropriate to modern circumstances. ALRC Report 58 outlined constitutional restraints, cross vesting rules, inappropriateness of forum law rules, uncertainty issues and the …
Read more09.04.1992
Multiculturalism and the law
During the course of the inquiry, several consultation papers were released:An issues paper—Multiculturalism and the Law (ALRC IP 9) in 1990; andThree discussion papers in 1991—Multiculturalism: Family Law (ALRC DP 46); Multiculturalism: Criminal Law (ALRC DP 48); and Multiculturalism: Consumer Contracts (ALRC DP 49).The final report (ALRC Report 57) examined the principles underlying Australian family …
Read more09.09.1991
Censorship procedure
In May 1990 the ALRC was given terms of reference to report on how the laws relating to the censorship and classification of film and printed matter for public exhibition, sale or hire could be simplified and made more uniform and efficient while still giving effect to the policy agreed between the Commonwealth, the States …
Read more09.11.1990
Criminal Admiralty Jurisdiction and Prize
In November 1982 the ALRC was directed to report on the Admiralty jurisdiction in Australia.ALRC Report 33 found that the Colonial Courts of Admiralty Act 1890 (Imp) had limited civil admiralty jurisdiction to matters that were within the admiralty jurisdiction of England as at 1890. As a result there were many uncertainties about, and unjustified …
Read more09.12.1989
Guardianship and management of property
The ALRC was required to inquire into the desirability of new laws and procedures in the ACT to provide for the guardianship and management of property of persons unable, wholly or in part, to manage their affairs or property. A Discussion Paper Guardianship and Management of Property (ALRC DP 39) was released in 1989. The …
Read more09.11.1989
Informed decisions in medical procedures
The report was commissioned in response to the growing trend of patients assuming greater involvement in decisions regarding their treatment. If patients’ expectations that they will be adequately informed are not met, legal action against medical practitioners may result. The report concentrated on three main areas: The legal principles determining liability of doctors for failure …
Read more09.08.1989
Product liability
The terms of reference required the Commission to focus on a particular area of product liability: situations in which the product itself played a crucial role in causing the injury or loss to the consumer or a member of the community. The reference considered only the liability of manufacturers and suppliers for the quality of …
Read more09.04.1989
Enduring Powers of Attorney
The final report for this inquiry, Enduring Powers of Attorney (ALRC Report 47), was tabled on 6 April 1989. It outlines powers of attorney in the context of the management of an infirm person’s property. The report found that the existing law in the Australian Capital Territory was inadequate as a power of attorney lapsed …
Read more