The ALRC’s Future of Law Reform report of December 2019 suggested five potential topics for future law reform inquiries. In September 2020 the Commonwealth Attorney-General referred to the ALRC one of those suggested inquiry topics, on simplification of corporate and financial services regulation. The Future of Law Reform Update summarises recent feedback on, and developments in, the other four topic areas for the Attorney-General to consider in relation to the ALRC’s ongoing program of work. The paper also briefly outlines a selection of key developments in other significant topics identified in the primary report.
The ALRC released its report The Future of Law Reform: A Suggested Program of Work 2020-25 on Monday 2 December 2019. The report contains an ambitious agenda for law reform over the next five years.
The Australian Law Reform Commission report, Corporate Criminal Responsibility, was tabled in Parliament on 31 August 2020.
The ALRC has made 20 recommendations for reform.
Download the Summary Report.
Download the Final Report.
Download the Data Appendices.
Download the ALRC Recommendations Summary Brochure
The report is available to purchase in book format.
Download underlying data utilised in the report in Excel format:
- Data Appendices – Appendix A, Table 1–31
- Data Appendices – Appendix B Tables 1–4
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, Criminal Courts: Australia – Organisations Data: Customised Report for the Australian Law Reform Commission (2020)
- NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, Criminal Court Statistics – Companies Data: Customised Report for the Australian Law Reform Commission (2020)
On Monday 2 December 2019, the ALRC released its report The Future of Law Reform: A Suggested Program of Work 2020-25.
The report contains an ambitious agenda for law reform over the next five years.
Hard copy reports are available for purchase. Please email [email protected].
The ALRC seeks stakeholder submissions on 23 proposals for reform to the Commonwealth’s corporate criminal law regime, and asks 11 questions on particular areas of reform. The Discussion Paper addresses a number of aspects of corporate criminal liability, including:
- the principled division between criminal offences and civil penalty provisions;
- the method for attributing criminal liability to corporations;
- individual liability for corporate offences;
- deferred prosecution agreements;
- penalties and the sentencing process;
- illegal phoenix activity (deliberate liquidation with the intent to avoid creditors and continue operations through a new entity); and
- the implications of the transnational nature of business and extraterritorial offences.
In addition to the Full Report the ALRC has separately published:
The list of Proposals and Questions; and
The Appendices.
As part of the ALRC’s Where next for law reform? project the ALRC is encouraging Australians to think big. Arguably the most significant law reform initiative would be to revise the constitution. We have prepared a short paper to start the 
conversation.
The Australian Law Reform Commission report, Family Law for the Future: An Inquiry into the Family Law System (Report 135) was tabled in Parliament by the Attorney-General, the Hon Christian Porter MP, on 10 April 2019.
The ALRC has made 60 recommendations for reform.
For a handy over overview we have produced a brochure.
For a summary we have a summary report for download.
And a full report.
The report is available to purchase in book format.
The Australian Law Reform Commission report, Integrity, Fairness and Efficiency—An Inquiry into Class Action Proceedings and Third-Party Litigation Funders (ALRC Report 134), was tabled in Parliament by the Attorney-General, the Hon Christian Porter MP, on 24 January 2019.
Report 134 contains 24 recommendations designed to promote fairness and efficiency in class action proceedings, protect litigants and assure the integrity of the civil justice system.
The report is available as a downloadable PDF and to purchase in book format. Please contact the ALRC should you require the report in another format.
The ALRC has put together a short summary that explains changes to the family law system proposed in the Discussion Paper.
This Discussion Paper was released on 2 October 2018.
The Discussion Paper asks 33 questions and makes 124 proposals for change to the family law system, which focus on support for children in the family law system, improving public understanding of the family law system, accessible and coordinated service delivery, and enhanced oversight of the family law system and its workforce.
The ALRC invites submissions in response to the proposals, questions and analysis in the Discussion Paper by 13 November 2018.
We no longer print hardcopies of our consultation documents including Discussion Papers.
If you have accessibility difficulties, please email [email protected].
Make a submission by email to: [email protected]
This Discussion paper was released on 31 May 2018. The Discussion Paper provides 16 proposals and asks 11 questions that focus on the introduction of regulation appropriate for third-party litigation funders and strengthening the role of the Federal Court to further supervise funded class action proceedings.
The ALRC invites submissions in response to the proposals, commentary, analysis and questions in the Discussion Paper.
Submissions close 30 July 2018.
Email [email protected] to ask for this discussion paper in a different format.
Make a submission by email to: [email protected]