From the President’s desk

This is the final ALRC Brief for 2011. It has been a massive year for the ALRC—we’ve completed two inquiries, Discovery of Documents in Federal Courts and Commonwealth Laws and Family Violence, released two Discussion Papers and five Issues Papers, moved offices, and been the subject of a major review by the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Reference Committee. I am extremely happy to report that we are still standing! Our energy and commitment are as strong as ever. And the support and engagement of our stakeholders and the community in general are expanding—we received a record number of submissions to the Classification Inquiry and significant input through our online blogs, through twitter and inquiry e-newsletters.

I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has taken the time to engage with our inquiries and our processes— through preparing formal submissions, by participating in consultations, being part of our expert panels and advisory committees, and by communicating your views to us through our online communication tools. It is this lively, robust and informed input that is the lifeblood of the law reform process. We could not undertake our inquiries, with such confidence in our processes and findings, without this community input. So again, thank you to you all.  I look forward to continuing our conversations and debates over the next year.

In the meantime, on behalf of all at the ALRC, I take this opportunity to give you our warmest greetings for the season and to wish you a safe and happy new year.