Search
This area does not yet contain any content.
Justinian News

The law and its miracles ... Party allies selected for judicial elevation in Qld ... Justice Jenni Hill's brother ... More entries for the Golden Tortoise award ... Federal Court muddles the maths, again ... Theodora reports ... Read more >>

Politics Media Law Society


Rupert World ... Lord Moloch’s pal Doug the Diva – driving Washington spare … News UK’s model for unionism … What next for the Washington Post? … Concealed coal lobbyists running an anti-Teal campaign … More corruption busting for Stinging Nettle … The litigation industry spawned by Lehrmann ... Read on >> 

Free Newsletter
Justinian Columnists

Party time for Dicey ... Heydon's book - a pathway to rehabilitation ... The predatory man and the clever intellect - all wrapped up in the one person ... Academic tome and cancel agenda ... Despite the plaudits the record of abuse doesn't vanish ... Book launch with young associates at a safe distance ... Procrustes thinks out loud ... Read more >> 

Blow the whistle

 

News snips ...


The Lubyanka ... Bullying investigation into former Federal Court judge goes nowhere ... "Complaint unsubstantiated" ... Phew! ... Recommendations about staff education ... Nothing recommended for judicial induction ... More >> 

 

Justinian's Bloggers

Governance turmoil at Tiny Town Law Society ... Night of the long knives ... Lakeside in Canberra ... ACT Law Society upheaval over governance changes ... Bodies carted out of the council room ... Blood on the carpet ... Fraught litigation another distraction ... From Gang Gang ... Read more >> 

"We're in unchartered territory here. A Pope hasn't died before during an Australian election campaign."  

Jane Norman, National Affairs Correspondent, ABC News ... April 21, 2025 ... Read more flatulence ... 


Justinian Featurettes

Letter from Rome ... Judges on strike ... Too much "reform" ... Berlusconi legacy ... Referendum on the way ... Constitutional court inflames the Meloni regime with decision on boat people ... Insults galore ... Silvana Olivetti reports ... Read more >> 


Justinian's archive

Tea is for Tippy ... Life of a tiffstaff ... Bright, ambitious and, when it comes to the crucial things, hopeless ... Milking the glory of the gig ...  Introducing Tippy, our new blogger filing from within the concrete cage at Queens Square ... From Justinian's Archive, March 15, 2010 ...  Read more >> 


 

 

« Queensland's silk road | Main | Crown Prosecutor birched by CCA »
Friday
May022014

Bean counters bonanza 

National Commission of Audit ... Two outstanding recommendations ... Merge the Federal Courts ... Flog off the AGS 

THERE are two important buried gems deep down in the bowels of the National Commission of Audit report - released yesterday (May 1). 

Both have consequences for the law and justice business. 

On page 213 of the NCA's first report there was this nifty suggestion: 

"It would be possible to merge the Federal Court of Australia with the Family Court and Federal Circuit Court of Australia. This would reduce administrative costs and provide additional opportunities to share facilities and streamline back-office functions to achieve more efficient administration of justice. 

The Australian Law Reform Commission should also have its functions moved into the Attorney General's Department (recognising the need to maintain its statutory mandate)."  

Presumably all those reserved judgment would be merged under one roof as well. 

Tony Shepherd: chairman of the Commission of Audit

As if that were not enough of a disruptive thought, there was this in the second report, at page 92-93: 

"The Australian Government Solicitor houses much of the Commonwealth's expertise in areas of tied legal work, such as the Constitution, Cabinet, national security and public international law.

Under the Attorney General's Legal Services Directions, only the Australian Government Solicitor and other tied providers are permitted to advise the government on these matters.

The Attorney General's Department is responsible for the provision of legal advice to the Attorney General, as Australia's first law officer, and to the government as a whole.

Recognising that the division of these responsibilities is less than ideal, the Commission considers the department's role in the provision of coordinated and strategic advice could be substantially strengthened if the Australian Government Solicitor's functions most closely related to the core executive activities of government were consolidated into the Attorney General's Department – namely those functions provided by the Office of General Counsel.

This would enhance the department's capacity to fully deliver its important strategic role, and would better serve the Attorney General and the government of the day.

The Commission notes the remainder of the Australian Government Solicitor primarily competes with the private sector in the contestable government legal services market. 

Consistent with the Principles of Good Government outlined in the Phase One Report, the Commission sees no compelling rationale for this.

A review should occur, which establishes options to wind-up the remainder of entity, including the possible sale of the Australian Government Solicitor's client book." 

Flogging off the AGS has been a longstanding wet dream of the dries.

Since the Audit Commission was really a branch of the Business Council of Australia and the BCA is calling most of the shots for the Abbott government, then stand-by for the For Sale sign. 

The NCA also provides a handy overview of the entire AGs department showing the ambit of Soapy Brandis' realm. 

See: AGs portfolio 

Reader Comments

There are no comments for this journal entry. To create a new comment, use the form below.
Editor Permission Required
You must have editing permission for this entry in order to post comments.