The law must retain the confidence of the people and it must be accessible to them. It must be relevant and reflect contemporary Australian values. For twenty years, the Australian Law Reform Commission has been striving to narrow this gap between the expectations of the public and the reality of the law. To escape irrelevance law reform must go out to the society it serves. This is a vital principle that continues to underpin the ALRC's work.
Public involvement is crucial.
Without an informed public there can be no effective public involvement. Reform is an important means by which the ALRC makes information available to the community. Concepts are put out into the market place of ideas and the process of public consultation is assisted. The ALRC is always interested in public comment, both with respect to particular references and with the on-going agenda of law reform. Reform also acts as a clearinghouse for the work of other law reformers.