Question – TLRI Founding Partners

Questions asked by the Hon Meg Webb MLC on 24 November 2022 and answered by the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice on 23 March 2023

1. With regard to the three Founding Partners Agreement establishing the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute (TLRI), the latest iteration of which is scheduled to expire on the 23 November 2022:

a) Has a new Agreement between the three Founding Partners been negotiated and signed?
b) If negotiations are still ongoing, is it intended for any final Agreement to still be between those initial three founding Partners?
c) If a new Agreement is yet to be finalised, has an interim extension of the Agreement been agreed in writing by the parties, in accordance with 8.2 of the current Agreement? And
d) In the absence of either a new or an interim extension Agreement, on what basis can the TLRI continue to function after the expiry of the current Agreement this month and any new arrangements yet to be implemented?

2. When will a new Agreement for the ongoing operations of the TLRI be finalised and released publicly?

Government Response

On 7 February 2023, the Attorney-General, on behalf of the Tasmanian Government, entered into a new Agreement with the University of Tasmania and the Law Society of Tasmania, as Founding Partners, to ensure the Tasmania Law Reform Institute (TLRI) can continue to deliver its critical role in law reform and research.

The revised Agreement confirms the impartial and independent nature of the TLRI in conducting its functions and objectives, and clarifies the TLRI’s purpose in promoting equality before the law and providing improved access to justice.

The Attorney-General has written to Ms Webb providing her with a copy of this Agreement.

The previous Agreement expired on 23 November 2022. The Founding Partners agreed by written correspondence to extend the previous Agreement until a new Agreement could be entered into.

See more of Meg’s Questions to Parliament.