Annual Report 03/04 The Hon Bob Debus, MP Attorney General, Minister for the Environment Level 36 Governor Macquarie Tower 1 Farrer Place Sydney NSW 2000 Dear Attorney, I have pleasure in presenting the Annual Report of the NSW Attorney General’s Department for the year 2003-04. The report has been prepared in accordance with the Annual Reports (Departments) Act 1985 (NSW) and the Public Finance and Audit Act 1983 (NSW) for presentation to Parliament. The Department continued to focus on improving the administration of the community’s justice system for resolving civil disputes and criminal matters. Many of the advances and innovations we have made throughout the year reflect our dedication to services that are accessible and tailored to the needs of our clients. As well as continued improvements in court performance and court security, our priorities included building community capacity to prevent crime, improving outcomes and services for Aboriginal communities and enhancing value for money through justice sector cooperation. The achievements of our Department reflect the dedication and commitment of all staff and judicial officers. I appreciate the support we have received from you and your staff and look forward to building on our achievements in the coming year. Yours faithfully Laurie Glanfield Director General Contact details The annual report is available on the For general inquiries and customer Attorney General’s Department of NSW Department’s website and we can provide feedback, please contact the Community Goodsell Building, 8–12 Chifley Square it in alternative formats for people with Relations Division on tel: (02) 9228 7484, Sydney NSW 2000 disabilities, such as braille, audiotape, fax: (02) 9228 8608, TTY: (02) 9228 7676, Postal address large print or computer disk. Please contact customer feedback freecall: 1800 684 449 GPO Box 6, Sydney NSW 2001 Diversity Services for more information on or visit our website: www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/crd tel: (02) 9228 8460, TTY: (02) 9228 7733. Website www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au ISSN 1320 0607 CONTENTS About the Department 2 Our vision, mission and priorities 2 Organisational structure 3 Director General’s Review 4 Highlights 03-04 5 Court performance 8 Key performance indicators 9 The year in review 14 Community and Regulatory Services 15 Court and Tribunal Services 26 Policy and Crime Prevention 35 Crown Solicitor’s Office 42 Office of the Protective Commissioner 43 Office of the Public Guardian 44 Public Trustee 45 Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages 46 Management Services 47 Corporate Human Resources 50 Executive & Strategic Services 51 Our people 52 Corporate governance 54 The year ahead 55 Finance 57 Attorney General’s Department of NSW 57 Crown Solicitor’s Office 91 NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages 107 Legal Practitioners Admission Board 125 Appendices 139 1 Accounts payment performance 140 2 Code of Conduct and Ethics 140 3 Complaints handling 140 4 Consultants 141 5 Court and tribunal statistics 142 6 Disability Strategic Plan 145 7 Disposal of property 148 8 Employee wage movements 148 9 Enterprise industrial relations 149 10 Equal employment opportunity and staff numbers 149 11 Ethnic Affairs Priority Statement 150 12 Freedom of information 152 13 Funds granted 155 14 Guarantee of service 161 15 Leave liabilities 161 16 Legislative changes 161 17 Legislation allocated to the Attorney General 162 18 NSW Government action plan for women 164 19 Occupational health and safety 166 1 20 Overseas travel 166 21 Publications (new) 168 22 Privacy and personal information 170 23 Recycling performance 170 24 Risk management and insurance activities 171 25 Senior Executive Service and statements of performance 171 26 Statutory appointments and significant committees 174 Contact information 178 Annual report costing 180 Attorney General’s Department Annual Report 03-04 ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT Profile Role of the Attorney General Our vision, mission The Attorney General’s Department The Hon Bob Debus, MP and priorities assists the NSW Government, As the First Law Officer of the Judiciary, Parliament and the State, the Attorney General is Our vision community to promote social the most senior member of the Justice and equality for NSW. harmony through programs that Bar and acts for or represents protect human rights, community the Crown in litigation. Our mission standards and reduce crime. To support the Government’s He is the principal adviser to priority of a safe, just and The Department plays a key the Government and Cabinet harmonious society by: role in the administration and on legal, constitutional and development of a just and legal policy issues. In relation • Delivering an effective, accessible equitable legal system of to legal policy issues, he has an and responsive justice system courts, tribunals, laws and obligation to ensure efficiency other mechanisms that further in the administration of justice, • Protecting citizens’ rights and the principles of justice and consistency in the level and promoting responsibilities contribute to the achievement nature of penalties under the of the goals of the Government. law, observation of the rules • Promoting safe NSW of natural justice, and the communities. We assist the NSW Attorney preservation of civil liberties. General in his role as the First Our priorities Law Officer of the State, along The Attorney General advises The Department’s principal business with support services to enable the Premier, Cabinet and other is the administration of an effective his legislative and advisory ministers and their departments system for resolving civil disputes responsibilities to Parliament on legal questions referred for and criminal matters. Continued and Cabinet to be carried out. his opinion. He provides these improvements in security, timeliness, opinions, having regard to cost effectiveness and innovation the legal advice of the Solicitor in service delivery are primary General, Crown Advocate, Crown priorities for the Department. Solicitor or the Department. In matters relating to Bills, Regulations Other key priorities are building and associated parliamentary community capacity to prevent procedures, in practice, the crime through continuing expansion Attorney General relies on of assistance to local government the advice of the Parliamentary to develop community crime Counsel. Advice on legal policy prevention plans, projects and issues is provided through the advice to Aboriginal and community Director General of the Attorney groups, improving outcomes and General’s Department. services for Aboriginal communities through the extension of circle He also has responsibility for sentencing and community justice the appointment of judges, groups, and enhanced outcomes magistrates and statutory officers. and value for money for the justice sector as a whole through improved collaboration and cooperation across agencies. Our commitment to the community 2 Our Commitment to the Community is the Department’s corporate strategic plan, which expresses our aims, objectives and values. It also provides strategic direction across the Department and succinctly captures what we strive to achieve as a diverse organisation. You can view Our Commitment to the Community at www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/agd Attorney General’s Department Annual Report 03-04 ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE The Department's business centres are grouped into program areas to focus on operations and planning. They work collaboratively to achieve the Department's vision, mission and priorities and report to the Director General or through the Assistant Directors General. Director General Laurie Glanfield Organisational Performance Division Crown Solicitor's Office COMMUNITY & COURT & TRIBUNAL POLICY & CRIME CORPORATE REGIONAL SERVICES SERVICES PREVENTION SERVICES Office of the Protective Commissioner and Public Guardian Assistant Director Assistant Director Assistant Director Public Trustee General General General Registry of Births, Julie Baker Tim McGrath John Feneley Deaths & Marriages Anti-Discrimination Supreme Court Aboriginal Justice Asset Management Board Advisory Council Services Industrial Relations Privacy NSW Commission Bureau of Crime Corporate Human Statistics & Research Resources Victims Services Land & Environment Community Justice Court Legislation & Corporate Services Policy & Criminal Law Reform Project Centres District Court Review Divisions Financial Services Community Relations Local Courts and Crime Prevention Division Office of the Sheriff Information Technology Division Legal Representation Services Dust Diseases Tribunal Office Law Reform Public Defenders Office Administrative Commission Decisions Strategic Policy Unit LawAccess NSW Tribunal Sentencing Council Office of the Attorney General's Legal Services Department Law Commissioner Libraries Legal Practitioners Law Courts Library Admission Board Reporting Services Legal Profession Branch Advisory Council Professional Standards Council Legal Management Service Organisational Service Delivery POLICY, RESEARCH JUSTICE SERVICES AND SUPPORT CORPORATE SUPPORT AND STRATEGY • Assists the NSW community to receive Promotes the earliest, Contributes to the Provides high quality professional services that are affordable, most effective and development of support services accountable and of a high standard. efficient resolution a legal system and that enable the • Ensures the NSW community has full access of civil disputes and laws in NSW that core business areas to the legal system and is adequately