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Martin, Wayne --- "President's Comments" [2004] AdminRw 1; (2004) 56 Admin Review 2


President’s comments

The previous issue of Admin Review was published shortly after the Council released initial papers for two major projects. This current issue, my second as President, finds the Council on the verge of publication of final reports for both of those projects.

The Council’s discussion paper The Scope of Judicial Review attracted much interest. This issue of Admin Review includes one commentator’s response to matters raised in the paper. The Council’s final report on the project will, I believe, be a useful contribution to an essential aspect of administrative law.

The other major project nearing completion is Automated Assistance in Administrative Decision Making. As part of this project, the Council held an information and consultation forum in Melbourne on 12 November 2003. The forum was well attended and attracted considerable interest in this developing area. This issue of Admin Review contains one of the presentations made at the forum and an article on the project by Council member Professor Robin Creyke.

A third Council project nearing completion is a curriculum guideline for people involved in developing legal training programs for primary decision makers. The Council hopes the guideline, Legal Training for Primary Decision Makers, will provide a core framework for training programs that can be tailored to the needs of individual government agencies. Good primary decision making is fundamental to the quality of the administrative system as a whole.

As well as these substantial longer term projects, the Council continues to provide advice to government agencies on the administrative review facets of particular legislative proposals and to make submissions to inquiries by other bodies, such as committees of Parliament, where the Council’s knowledge of administrative law and practice can be of assistance.

Finally, late last year saw the passage of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003. It may have taken a little over a decade to come to fruition, but the Council’s original proposal for reform of the way delegated legislation is created and enforced has consistently received broad support on both sides of politics. The commencement of this legislation will see a basic change in administrative practices that is testimony to the importance of the work of the Council.

Wayne Martin QC


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