30.11.1985
Community law reform for the ACT – contributory negligence in fatal accident cases
As part of its law reform program for the Australian Capital Territory, the ALRC called for suggestions from members of the public as to which laws of the ACT required reform. In response to these public submissions, the ALRC considered a number of suggestions relating to negligence, including:abolition of the defence of contributory negligence in …
Read more09.08.1985
Evidence
The extensive task represented by the reference meant that the ALRC addressed two issues—a review of the existing law of evidence and whether there should be a uniform law of evidence and, if so, how this should be achieved.The interim report, ALRC Report 26, contained a detailed assessment of the law of evidence as applied …
Read more09.10.1984
Foreign state immunity
This inquiry considered the common law and statutory rules dealing with foreign state immunity and whether there was a need for Commonwealth legislation on the issue. The Final Report identified that there were good arguments both for extending a degree of immunity to foreign states before Australian courts, and for limiting the scope of that …
Read more09.12.1983
Privacy (1976-83)
The ALRC received a wide-ranging reference on privacy from the federal Attorney-General in April 1976. At the same time, public controversy arose in relation to certain aspects of the census to be held on 30 June 1976, therefore, the Attorney-General requested that the implications of the census for individual privacy be taken into account in …
Read more09.12.1982
Insurance agents, brokers and contracts
When the inquiry into the law governing contracts of insurance was given to the ALRC in September 1976, the law regulating insurance contracts had not kept pace with the growth of a national insurance industry. Considerable confusion surrounded an agent’s authority when contracting on behalf of insurance companies. Some companies were using contracts as a …
Read more09.11.1981
Child welfare laws and practices (ACT)
The Child Welfare report reviews the child welfare laws and practices in the Australian Capital Territory.The ALRC observed that the Children’s Court and police service lacked a clear policy and practical guidelines on how to manage cases involving young offenders.In addition, the welfare system was found to be inadequately equipped to deal with neglected, abused and uncontrollable …
Read more09.04.1980
Lands acquisition and compensation
Terms of reference were provided to the ALRC on 7 July 1977. The inquiry looked at laws relating to the acquisition of land by the Commonwealth, which was dealt with in the Land Acquisitions Act 1955 (Cth), and compensation for persons whose land or business was adversely affected by the construction or use of Commonwealth works.At the …
Read more09.06.1979
Defamation and unfair publication
ALRC Report 11 proposed far reaching changes in Australia’s defamation law. It dealt with two important but competing interests: the protection of individual honour, reputation and dignity against the protection of freedom of expression and access to public affairs.The report pointed out that the laws governing these matters in Australia were complex and inconsistent from …
Read more09.06.1978
Complaints against police
The Australian Law Reform Commission received its first reference in May 1975 and issued a working paper before concluding its final report Complaints Against Policy (ALRC Report 1), tabled in federal Parliament on 7 August 1975.The proposals in ALRC Report 1 were substantially accepted by the then federal Government and included in the Australia Police Bill …
Read more09.11.1977
Human tissue transplants
ALRC Report 7 considered not only the use of human tissue and organs for transplantation but the use of dead bodies for the teaching and practice of anatomy and for the performance of post-mortem examinations.The report gave consideration to present and impending human and social problems of profound importance such as euthanasia, the ‘right to …
Read more