Submissions made to Access to Justice Arrangements
On 21 June 2013 the Terms of Reference paper for the Australian Government’s Productivity Commission inquiry into Access to Justice Arrangements became available. The Issues Paper was released on 16 September 2013 and the draft report was published on 8 April 2014. On 25 May 2014, ALHR President, Nathan Kennedy presented submissions.
In its observations, the ALHR found that significant research will need to be undertaken in order to address the widening gap in the access to cost effective legal services. Any solution put forward will also need to address the issue of self-represented litigants. Further, the ALHR recommended that courts, counsel and solicitors alike be made sensitive to the issues of self representation in order for Australia to meet its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
The ALHR thanks the contributions of passionate members; Stevie Martin, Jack Scott, Imogen Coates-Marnane, Craig Danger, and Chantal McNaught (Coordinator) for their tireless and outstanding efforts in contributing to these submissions.