Question – Future of the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute (TLRI)

Questions placed on the Notice Paper by the Hon. Meg Webb MLC on 26 October 2022 and answered by the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice on 15 November 2022.

I (Ms Webb) tomorrow to ask the Honourable Leader of the Government —

With regard to the ongoing uncertainty of the future of the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute (TLRI), and in light of the following considerations:

a. The establishing Agreement between the Founding Partners of the University of Tasmania, the Tasmanian Government and the Law Society of Tasmania is due for renewal in November this year;

b. the Legislative Council’s affirmative vote on Tuesday, 27 September this year in support for a motion calling for the Government to prioritise delivering in full, and in good faith, the recommendations of the Review of the TLRI Final Report; and commit to ensuring Tasmania’s acclaimed premier law reform agency is sufficiently resourced to place it on a ‘secure and sustainable footing into the future’ as recommended by the 2022 TLRI Review Final Report; and

c. my correspondence dated 28 July this year to the Attorney-General on this matter, which remains outstanding to date —

can the Government provide the requested information for the following outstanding matters:

1. 1. The Government’s formal response to the findings and 20 recommendations made in the South Australian Law Reform Institute (SALRI) Final Report of the Review of the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute, which was publicly released on 20 July this year;
   2. (a) whether the Founding Partners Agreement will be renewed in November this year; and
      (b) if so, can the Government provide a copy of the new Agreement once finalised and signed;
   3. details of any new governance and structural reforms made to the TLRI, and how they are intended to secure a contemporary and sustainable TLRI into the future;
   4. the Government’s ongoing funding commitment to the TLRI, noting the TLRI Review’s recommendation number 19 that the annual baseline or recurrent funding from the Government be increased to at least $200 000 per annum, to support the Institute’s work programme;
   5. the process and the role of the Government in securing a permanent Director of the TLRI; and
   6. the expected tenure of current Acting Director, Associate Professor Jeremy Prichard, and what role the Government had in that appointment.

Answer: The Tasmania Law Reform Institute (TLRI) was established on 23 July 2001 by Agreement between the Tasmanian Government, the University of Tasmania (UTAS) and the Law Society of Tasmania (LST). That Agreement has been consistently renewed and supported by the Tasmanian Government, and all of the three Founding Partners since that time.

The TLRI is currently led by Associate Professor Jeremy Prichard as Acting Director. UTAS is responsible for appointing all Directors of the TLRI, including Directors appointed in an acting capacity. The current foundation Agreement for the TLRI will expire on 23 November 2022. The Tasmanian Government, alongside UTAS and the LST, remain committed to ensuring that the TLRI can continue its important work and that it is appropriately resourced to do so.

On 20 July 2022, the South Australian Law Reform Institute released its Final Report from a review of the TLRI. That Report contains 20 recommendations, 19 of which recommend changes to terms of the Agreement underpinning the TLRI. The Tasmanian Government is working with the Founding Partners to ensure that the work of the TLRI continues and that the terms of a revised Agreement, preserve an independent and contemporary law reform body. 

See more of Meg’s Questions to Parliament.