Residential Tenancies Act amended - Amendment became necessary when in a recent case it was held that a shop and dwelling constituted residential premises as defined in the Act. Bill has been withdrawn. A pilot program involving a video conferencing facility linking the Long Bay Correctional Complex to the Supreme Court for the purpose of hearing bail applications will begin in late February 1994. The High Court has introduced new rules governing the conduct of both criminal and civil special leave applications to come into effect on 1 February 1994. Specialist accreditation - Guidelines for accreditation in business law are now available.
More detailed reports follow.
No parts of the Bill have yet been proclaimed to commence, and the Attorney General is consulting with the Law Society and the Bar Association in regard to a timetable for commencement of the various parts. A number of late amendments to the Bill were moved by the Opposition and carried in both Houses. The Division is not to have effect until 31 July 1994 or the date on which an enabling Commonwealth law is enacted, whichever is the later. The Bill, in its original form, provided for the professional associations, the Law Society and the Bar Association, to make rules which would require gazettal to have effect, and which could be disallowed by the Attorney General on the advice of an Advisory Council if, in its opinion, they imposed restrictive or anti-competitive practices, or if they were not in the public interest. Some conduct may be exempted by regulation, but before such a regulation can be made, the Attorney General must consult with the Trade Practices Commission, the Advisory Council, the Bar Council and the Law Society Council.