3. Understanding the Uniform Evidence Acts

3–1 The National Judicial College, the Judicial College of Victoria, the Judicial Commission of New South Wales and the state and territory law societies and bar associations should consider conducting educational programs about the policy underlying the approach of the uniform Evidence Acts to admissibility of evidence. The Inquiry also identified the following areas as warranting consideration:

  • improper questioning;
  • the admissibility of evidence of expert opinion;
  • the cognitive and behavioural development of children and the implications of this for the reliability of the evidence of child witnesses; and
  • the nature of sexual assault, including the context in which sexual offences typically occur, and the emotional, psychological and social impact of sexual assault.