Conference program
Papers

The Standing Committee of Attorneys General (‘SCAG’) and the AIJA convened a national conference in March 2000 to discuss and develop proposals for the reform of the procedure of criminal trials.

The conference examined the Working Group on Criminal Trial Reform Report to SCAG which was released in November 1999. The Working Group, chaired by Justice Brian Martin and consisting of Mr Damian Bugg QC, Mr Richard Coates, Mr Robert Cornall, Chief Judge Kevin Hammond, Mr Michael Rozenes QC, Mr Bret Walker SC and Justice James Wood, made 56 key recommendations for reform.

A full copy of the Report and its recommendations can be found at:

http://law.gov.au/WWW/AGDHOME.NSF/Web+Pages/8BAC9B0E4968AE9BCA256BDB000B2AF7?OpenDocument

At the conference, keynote speakers from each jurisdiction presented papers on various issues including:

• Adversarial justice and the role of the jury trial;
• The role of the Federal, State and Territory Directors of Public Prosecution with regard to investigations and committal proceedings;
• The obligations placed on the Defence, including the right to silence;
• A series of procedural changes to improve quality and timeliness for trial preparation and conduct;
• Judicial supervision and control of cases from an early stage, and
• Legal Aid