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Report: Inquiry Into Australia's Judicial System and the Role of Judges

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Report: Inquiry Into Australia's Judicial System and the Role of Judges The Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee Australia’s Judicial System and the Role of Judges December 2009 © Commonwealth of Australia ISBN: 978-1-74229-086-7 This document was printed by the Senate Printing Unit, Department of the Senate, Parliament House, Canberra. MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE Members Senator Guy Barnett, Chair, LP, TAS Senator Patricia Crossin, Deputy Chair, ALP, NT Senator David Feeney, ALP, VIC Senator Mary Jo Fisher, LP, SA Senator Scott Ludlam, AG, WA Senator Russell Trood, LP, QLD Participating Members Senator the Hon. George Brandis SC, LP, QLD Senator the Hon. Bill Heffernan, LP, NSW Secretariat Mr Peter Hallahan Secretary Ms Toni Dawes Principal Research Officer Ms Cassimah Mackay Executive Assistant Suite S1. 61 Telephone: (02) 6277 3560 Parliament House Fax: (02) 6277 5794 CANBERRA ACT 2600 Email: [email protected] iii TABLE OF CONTENTS MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE ............................................................. iii RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................................................... ix CHAPTER 1 ........................................................................................................ 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 1 Conduct of the inquiry ............................................................................................ 1 Scope of the report .................................................................................................. 1 Acknowledgement .................................................................................................. 3 Note on references .................................................................................................. 3 CHAPTER 2 ........................................................................................................ 5 Background ............................................................................................................... 5 Terms of Reference ................................................................................................ 5 Current arrangements for Federal courts – appointments and complaint handling 5 International obligations ......................................................................................... 9 International experiences ...................................................................................... 10 CHAPTER 3 ...................................................................................................... 11 Judicial appointment .............................................................................................. 11 Background ........................................................................................................... 11 Appointment ......................................................................................................... 12 CHAPTER 4 ...................................................................................................... 31 Terms of appointment ............................................................................................ 31 Acting appointments ............................................................................................. 37 Part-time appointment .......................................................................................... 42 Other possible arrangements and issues ............................................................... 47 A brief comment about remuneration, resources and a national approach .......... 48 CHAPTER 5 ...................................................................................................... 51 Jurisdictional issues – the interface between the federal and state judicial systems ..................................................................................................................... 51 What are the issues? ............................................................................................. 51 National judiciary ................................................................................................. 51 Cross-vesting ........................................................................................................ 57 CHAPTER 6 ...................................................................................................... 63 Judicial Complaints Handling ............................................................................... 63 Termination .......................................................................................................... 63 Current statutory arrangements ............................................................................ 64 Current approaches to complaint handling ........................................................... 66 CHAPTER 7 ...................................................................................................... 75 A Judicial Complaints Commission? .................................................................... 75 Judicial complaint handling options ..................................................................... 76 Should a federal or national complaints handling body be established? .............. 76 A federal judicial commission? ............................................................................ 83 Committee view .................................................................................................... 93 Is an intermediate process needed? ...................................................................... 95 APPENDIX 1 ..................................................................................................... 99 SUBMISSIONS RECEIVED ................................................................................. 99 APPENDIX 2 ................................................................................................... 103 WITNESSES WHO APPEARED BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ................. 103 APPENDIX 3 ................................................................................................... 105 INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS – ARTICLE 14 ......................................................................................................... 105 APPENDIX 4 ................................................................................................... 107 vi OUTLINE OF OVERSEAS JUDICIAL COMPLAINT HANDLING AND APPOINTMENTS BODIES ................................................................................ 107 APPENDIX 5 ................................................................................................... 121 LAW COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA – EXTRACT FROM SUBMISSION 11 121 Attachment A ...................................................................................................... 121 Attributes of Candidates for Judicial Office ....................................................... 121 Attachment B ...................................................................................................... 122 Office Holders to be Consulted Personally by the Attorney-General of Australia ............................................................................................................................ 122 APPENDIX 6 ................................................................................................... 123 LAW SOCIETY OF NEW SOUTH WALES – EXTRACT FROM SUBMISSION 7 .................................................................................................... 123 Selection Process for the Judiciary ..................................................................... 123 Policy Document ................................................................................................ 123 CRITERIA FOR SELECTION .......................................................................... 123 APPENDIX 7 ................................................................................................... 127 APPENDIX 8 ................................................................................................... 131 FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA JUDICIAL COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE ....................................................................................................... 131 Complaints about delay ...................................................................................... 131 Complaints about cases that could be dealt with on appeal or by prerogative writ ............................................................................................................................ 132 Complaints about judicial conduct ..................................................................... 132 FEDERAL MAGISTRATES COURT OF AUSTRALIA JUDICIAL COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE ........................................................................... 134 Complaints about delay ...................................................................................... 134 Complaints about cases that could be dealt with on appeal ............................... 135 Complaints about judicial conduct ..................................................................... 135 vii RECOMMENDATIONS Recommendation 1 2.9 The committee recommends that the High Court of Australia adopt a written complaint handling policy and make it publicly available, including on its website, within 1 month of the tabling of this report. Recommendation 2 2.19 The committee recommends that, following consultation about the best way to achieve this, all federal courts publish
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