Media Release – Government Urged to Secure TLRI’s Future
Independent Member for Nelson Meg Webb will today table a motion to secure the future of the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute.
“I am calling on the Liberal State Government to commit in full and in good faith to the independent review’s recommendations for which it is responsible,” Ms Webb said. “The independent Panel’s review of the TLRI confirmed what we already knew.
“Despite being held in high acclaim across the community as the State’s premier law reform body for the last 20 years, the Institute has been starved of adequate staffing and funding.
“The Panel identified that reforms are required to strengthen the Institute’s independent governance arrangements, its sustainability and resourcing, yet so far the government has remained silent.”
Ms Webb said the review also found that without a Director or research staff at least four current references have ground to a halt as have other key functions of the TLRI.*
“The independence, impartiality and integrity of the TLRI underpins its strong reputation, which cutting corners or inappropriate short-term decisions could risk undermining. The Government must pull its weight to secure the TLRI’s future.”
Ms Webb said Tasmania is waiting to see if the Government will act in good faith when implementing its recommendations, consistent with the spirit and goals of the review.
“The TLRI’s establishing agreement between its Founding Partners – the Government, UTAS and the Law Society – is due for renewal in November this year.
“Tasmanians deserve to know before then how government intends to fulfil its share of the resourcing responsibilities required to place our acclaimed premier law reform body onto a ‘secure and sustainable footing into the future’.”
* SALRI Review Panel, Review of the Tasmania Law Reform Institute Final Report, June 2022 (released on 20 July 2022); pg 41.
Media Contact: A.Mark Thomas, M&M Communications, 0422 006 732
Motion text:
Ms Webb to move – That the Legislative Council:
1. Notes the recent review of the Tasmania Law Reform Institute (TLRI) undertaken by an independent Review Panel, and the Review of the Tasmania Law Reform Institute Final Report June 2022, released on 20 July 2022;
2. Welcomes the findings of the independent review, in particular:
a. its observation that all submissions “strongly supported preserving the Tasmania Law Reform Institute (TLRI) given its current positive impact on the broader Tasmanian community”; and
b. the Report’s emphasis on the important contribution made by the TLRI to public policy debate in Tasmania.
3. Notes the 20 recommendations made to the TLRI Founding Partners in the review’s Final Report;
4. Further notes the review Final Report’s clear assessment of the urgent need to place the TLRI on a sustainable footing, as the current lack of financial and staffing resources has resulted in work on four references ceasing, “as has all other work such as engaging with law reform bodies in other jurisdictions, contributing to inquiries, commenting on draft legislation and engaging students in law reform projects”;
5. Acknowledges the high regard in which the TLRI is held across the community, fostered by the Institute’s recognised independence, impartiality and institutional integrity, and the need to maintain that current strong public confidence;
6. Notes the current TLRI Founding Partners’ agreement is due for renewal in November 2022;
7. Urges the Tasmanian government to:
a. Prioritise delivering in full, and in good faith, the recommendations of the Review of the TLRI Final Report for which government holds entire or partial responsibility, and encourage its fellow Founding Partners, the University of Tasmania and the Law Society of Tasmania to do likewise; and
b. 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 independent Panel’s Review of the Tasmania Law Reform Institute Final Report.
