Key developments
- Urgent review of resourcing in the Family Court and Federal Circuit Court
- Review of the Legislative Council committee system
- Reform of the Home Building Compensation Fund
- Inquiry into elder abuse in NSW
- Fair Work Commission Draft Practice Note
- Federal Court – draft practice note – class actions
- Statutory review of the extensions to the Crimes (High Risk Offenders) Act 2006 (NSW)
- Workers compensation – Sabanayagam v St George Bank
- Draft Guidelines for claiming compensation benefits
- CTP Insurance – SIRA costs disclosure forms
- Draft Coastal Management Bill
- Expanding complying development
- Notification of serious data breaches
- Inquiry into remedies for serious invasions of privacy in NSW
- Privatisation of Land and Property Information
Urgent review of resourcing in the Family Court and Federal Circuit Court
On 4 March 2016, the Presidents of the Law Society and the NSW Bar Association wrote to the Prime Minister, requesting an urgent review of resources in both the Family Court and Federal Circuit Court to reduce the delays experienced by litigants in family law matters.
The letter identified the concerns of legal practitioners about the delays and the negative financial and emotional impact on litigants and their children. A number of factors contributing to the delays were identified in the letter. It was noted that recent judicial appointments, and the passage of the Courts Administration Legislation Amendment Bill 2015 (Cth), would not resolve this urgent issue.
