The inaugural AIJA Magistrates' Conference is to take place in Melbourne between 20-21 July 2001 and will be opened by the Attorney-General for Victoria, the Hon Robert Hulls MP.

The Conference is concerned to discuss matters of contemporary interest to the Australian magistracy. Topics will include:

• Problem-Oriented Courts - Keynote Address by Professor Arie Freiberg, Department of Criminology, The University of Melbourne with commentary by Ms Diane Fingleton, Chief Magistrate of Queensland, to be followed by a presentation by the Victorian Magistrates' Court in respect of parallel services.
• Litigants in Person - including discussion of the AIJA publication "Litigants in Person Management Plans: Issues for Courts and Tribunals";
• Magistrates and Expert Evidence - presentation by Dr Ian Freckelton and Dr Prasuna Reddy of their report "Australian Magistrates' Perspective on Expert Evidence: a Comparative Study";
• A commentary on the new fault provisions of the Commonwealth Criminal Code;
• Victim Involvement in Criminal Matters.

The AIJA is delighted that Professor Marco Fabri of the University of Bologna, an acknowledged expert on the courts and judicial administration, has agreed to speak at the Magistrates' Conference on "The Introduction of Criminal Adversarial Procedure in Countries with a Civil Law Tradition. The peculiar case of Italy in a Comparative Perspective".

For further information, contact the AIJA Secretariat:
1^st floor, 723 Swanston Street
CARLTON VIC 3053
Tel: (03) 9347 6600; Fax: (03) 9347 2980
Email: c.crawford@unimelb.edu.au