Footnotes

CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

[1]        Senate, Journals of the Senate, No. 135–27 February 2013, p. 3674.

[2]        Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee, Inquiry into the impact of federal court fee increases since 2010 on access to justice in Australia: Interim Report, 6 June 2013, p. 2.

[3]        Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee, Inquiry into the impact of federal court fee increases since 2010 on access to justice in Australia: Second Interim Report, 12 June 2013, p. 2.

[4]        The Federal Magistrates Court was renamed the Federal Circuit Court of Australia from 12 April 2013, pursuant to the Federal Circuit Court of Australia Legislation Amendment Act 2012.

[5]        See, for example: Federal Court of Australia, 'Fees payable from 1 January 2013', http://www.fedcourt.gov.au/forms-and-fees/court-fees/fees (accessed 14 June 2013).

[6]        Attorney-General's Department (AGD), A Strategic Framework for Access to Justice in the Federal Civil Justice System, September 2009, p. ix.

[7]        Attorney-General's Department, Submission 10, p. 2.

[8]        Recommendations 9.1: Attorney-General's Department, A Strategic Framework for Access to Justice in the Federal Civil Justice System, September 2009, p. 123.

[9]        Recommendation 9.2: Attorney-General's Department, A Strategic Framework for Access to Justice in the Federal Civil Justice System, September 2009, p. 123. The Taskforce noted in its Report (p. 45) that the Australian Law Reform Commission had previously recommended in 2000 that the Commonwealth 'consider the introduction of staged fees, where the fees increased along a sliding scale as [the] case progresses to hearing' in order to 'provide an incentive for litigants to settle matters at an earlier stage'.

[10]      Standing Committee of Attorneys-General, Annual Report 2009-10, p. 3, http://www.sclj.gov.au/sclj/standing_council_publications/standing_committee_annual_reports.html (accessed 27 May 2013).

[11]      In addition to these increases, fees were also increased from 1 July 2012 to adjust for inflation. The fee regulations provide for biennial changes to court fees to adjust for inflation. See: Consolidated table of federal court fee increases since 2010, provided by the Attorney‑General's Department on 7 May 2013, p.1.

[12]      Additional Information Received, 'Consolidated table of federal court fee increases since 2010, provided by the Attorney‑General's Department on 7 May 2013'. See also: Law Council of Australia, Submission 26, pp 27-38. 

[13]      AGD, Submission 10, p. 8.

[14]      AGD, Submission 10, p. 8.

[15]      AGD, Submission 10, p. 8.

[16]      See, for example (in relation to the Federal Court and the Federal Circuit Court): section 2.05, Federal Court and Federal Circuit Court Regulation 2012.

[17]      See, for example (in relation to the Federal Court and Federal Circuit Court): section 2.06, Federal Court and Federal Circuit Court Regulation 2012.

[18]      Australian Government, Budget Measures: Budget Paper No. 2 2010-11, 11 May 2010, pp 103‑104. The 2010-11 budget measures included providing additional funding for legal assistance services of $154 million over four years, offset by the increased revenue raised from court fees as well as funding reductions of $84 million over four years to the Attorney‑General's Department and increased efficiencies in the Family Court of Australia, Federal Court of Australia and National Native Title Tribunal.

[19]      The Hon Mark Dreyfus QC MP, Attorney-General, 'Response to Senate order of 7 February 2013', tabled in the Senate on 26 February 2013, p. 2.

[20]      High Court of Australia (Fees) Regulations 2012, Federal Court and Federal Circuit Court Regulation 2012 and Family Law (Fees) Regulation 2012.

[21]      Submission 10, p. 9.

[22]      Submission 10, p. 9.

[23]      Explanatory Statement, Federal Court and Federal Magistrates Court Regulation 2012, pp 6-7.

[24]      Submission 10, p. 13.

CHAPTER 2 - ACCESS TO JUSTICE POLICY CONSIDERATIONS

[1]        Submission 10, p. 1.

[2]        Submission 9, p. 7.

[3]        Submission 9, p. 7.

[4]        Submission 20, p. 2.

[5]        Submission 4, p. 3.

[6]        Attorney-General's Department (AGD), A Strategic Framework for Access to Justice in the Federal Civil Justice System, September 2009, p. 44.

[7]        AGD, A Strategic Framework for Access to Justice in the Federal Civil Justice System, September 2009, p. 48.

[8]        Submission 10, p. 6.

[9]        Dr Albin Smrdel, AGD, Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 33.

[10]      Submission 10, p. 6.

[11]      Submission 26, p. 12.

[12]      Submission 4, p. 2.

[13]      Submission 29, p. 3.

[14]      Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, pp 13-14.

[15]      Dr Albin Smrdel, AGD, Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 33.

[16]      Submission 4, p. 2.

[17]      Australian Government, Budget Measures: Budget Paper No. 2 2012-13, 11 May 2012, p. 10.

[18]      Submission 10, p. 7.

[19]      Ms Margaret Meibusch, AGD, Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 38. Filing levels in the federal courts since 2010 are discussed further in Chapter 3.

[20]      Submission 26, p. 13.

[21]      Submission 26, p. 13. The Law Council also noted that, under the Civil Dispute Resolution Act 2011, all parties are required to certify that they have taken 'genuine steps' to resolve their dispute before reaching court; and, in family law cases, parties to a parenting dispute must make a genuine effort to resolve the matter by family dispute resolution before court proceedings can commence.

[22]      Submission 26, p. 13.

[23]      Submission 9, p. 7. See also: Kingsford Legal Centre, Submission 21, p. 3.

[24]      Submission 20, p. 3.

[25]      Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 7.

[26]      Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 11.

[27]      Response to a question on notice provided by the Rule of Law Institute of Australia on 23 May 2013, p. 1.

[28]      Submission 8, p. 2.

[29]      Mr David Gaszner, Law Council of Australia, Committee Hansard, p. 15.

[30]      Dr Albin Smrdel, AGD, Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 33.

[31]      Submission 10, p. 7.

[32]      Submission 26, p. 17.

[33]      Submission 20, p. 2.

[34]      Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 9.

[35]      See, for example: Law Council of Australia, Submission 26, p. 9; Law Society of South Australia, Submission 20, p. 1; Australian Lawyers for Human Rights, Submission 8, p. 2; Women's Legal Service New South Wales, Submission 12, p. 1.

[36]      Submission 26, p. 10.

[37]      Submission 31, p. 3.

[38]      Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 2.

[39]      Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 2.

[40]      Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 3.

[41]      Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 3.

[42]      Submission 31, p. 6.

[43]      Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 17. See also: Mr Denis Farrar, Law Council of Australia, Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p.17; Associate Professor Michael Legg, Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 9.

[44]      Mr Kym Duggan, AGD, Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 37.

[45]      Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 21. See also: Hunter Community Legal Centre, Supplementary Submission 17, pp 1-4 and 10.

[46]      Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 26.

[47]      Ms Margaret Meibusch, AGD, Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 36.

[48]      Submission 10, p. 14.

[49]      Australian Government, Budget Measures: Budget Paper No. 2 2010-11, 11 May 2010, pp 103‑104. The 2010-11 budget measures included providing additional funding for legal assistance services of $154 million over four years.

[50]      AGD, Submission 10, p. 9.

[51]      Response to questions on notice provided by AGD on 24 May 2013, p. 9.

[52]      See, for example: Law Society of South Australia, Submission 20, p. 2; Queensland Council for Civil Liberties, Submission 25, p. 4.

[53]      Submission 26, p. 22.

[54]      Submission 26, pp 22-23.

[55]      Submission 4, p. 4. See also: Law Society of South Australia, Submission 20, p. 2.

[56]      Submission 31, p. 6.

[57]      Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 6.

[58]      Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 10.

[59]      Submission 10, p. 4.

[60]      Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 9.

[61]      Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 14.

[62]      Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 13.

[63]      See, for example: Federation of Community Legal Centres, Submission 28, p. 2; Ms Helen Matthews, Women's Legal Service Victoria, Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 28; Ms Alexandra Kelly, Consumer Credit Legal Centre, Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 28.

[64]      Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 17.

[65]      Dr Albin Smrdel, AGD, Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 35.

[66]      Dr Albin Smrdel, AGD, Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, pp 34-35.

CHAPTER 3 - IMPACT OF COURT FEE INCREASES SINCE 2010

[1]        Dr Albin Smrdel, Attorney-General's Department (AGD), Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 34.

[2]        Dr Albin Smrdel, AGD, Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 34.

[3]        Response to questions on notice provided by AGD on 24 May 2013, p. 2.

[4]        Response to questions on notice provided by AGD on 24 May 2013, p. 2.

[5]        Response to questions on notice provided by AGD on 24 May 2013, p. 2.

[6]        Mr Kym Duggan, AGD, Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 39.

[7]        See, for example: Ms Liz Pinnock, Hunter Community Legal Centre, Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 21; Kingsford Legal Centre, Submission 21, p. 1; Family Law Practitioners Association of Tasmania, Submission 16, p. 1.

[8]        Submission 18, p. 2.

[9]        See, for example: Hunter Community Legal Service, Submission 17, pp 2-3; Federation of Community Legal Centres (Victoria), Submission 28, pp 1-2.

[10]      Submission 22, p. 3.

[11]      Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 23.

[12]      Submission 29, pp 4-5.

[13]      Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 22.

[14]      Response to questions on notice provided by AGD on 24 May 2013, p. 10.

[15]      Response to questions on notice provided by AGD on 24 May 2013, pp 9-10.

[16]      Response to questions on notice provided by AGD on 24 May 2013, p. 10.

[17]      Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 15.

[18]      Submission 26, p. 14.

[19]      Submission 10, p. 12.

[20]      Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, pp 14-15.

[21]      Submission 16, p. 2.

[22]      AGD, Submission 10, p. 12.

[23]      Family Law (Fees) Regulation 2012, Section 2.06.

[24]      Submission 10, p. 13.

[25]      Response to questions on notice provided by AGD on 24 May 2013, p. 9.

[26]      See, for example: Australian Lawyers for Human Rights, Submission 8, p. 2; Law Council of Australia, Submission 26, p.14; Cairns Community Legal Centre, Submission 3, p. 2; Top End Women's Legal Service, Submission 11, pp 1-2.

[27]      See, for example: Women's Law Centre WA, Submission 5, p. 2; Hunter Community Legal Centre, Submission 17, p. 3; Federation of Community Legal Centres (Victoria), Submission 28, pp 1-2; Women's Legal Service Victoria, Submission 22, p. 2.

[28]      Submission 5, p. 2. See also: Kingsford Legal Centre, Submission 21, p. 2.

[29]      Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 23.

[30]      Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 27.

[31]      Submission 10, p. 13.

[32]      Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, pp 21-22.

[33]      Submission 4, p. 3.

[34]      Submission 26, p. 14.

[35]      Submission 10, p. 12.

[36]      Submission 26, p. 15.

[37]      Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 11.

[38]      Submission 10, p. 10.

[39]      Submission 10, p. 10.

[40]      Submission 26, p. 21.

[41]      Submission 9, pp 5-6.

[42]      Response to questions on notice provided by AGD on 24 May 2013, p. 8.

[43]      Submission 26, p. 16.

[44]      Submission 18, p. 2.

[45]      The Hon Nicola Roxon MP, Attorney-General, Media Release, 'Federal courts back on firm footing', 10 September 2012, p. 1.

[46]      Submission 26, p. 17.

[47]      Response from the Australian Taxation Office to comments on page 17 of the Law Council of Australia's submission, 7 May 2013, p. 1.

[48]      Response from the Australian Taxation Office to comments on page 17 of the Law Council of Australia's submission, 7 May 2013, p. 1. The ATO noted that its total legal expenditure in 2011-12 was $101.74 million: see p. 2.

[49]      Response from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission to comments on page 17 of the Law Council of Australia's submission, 7 May 2013, p. 1.

[50]      Response from the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities to comments on page 17 of the Law Council of Australia's submission, provided on 9 May 2013, p. 1.

[51]      Submission 14, p. 4.

[52]      See, for example: Rule of Law Institute of Australia, Submission 4, p. 3.

[53]      Submission 26, p. 14.

[54]      The rates are: $2,460 per day for a public company, $1,640 per day for a corporation and $700 for individuals in the Federal Court; and $410 for individuals in the Federal Circuit Court. See: Federal Court and Federal Circuit Court Regulation 2012, Schedule 1 (items 132 and 224).

[55]      Submission 26, pp 14-15.

[56]      Submission 10, p. 12.

[57]      Submission 10, p. 11.

[58]      Submission 26, p. 24.

[59]      Response from the Australian Taxation Office to comments on page 17 of the Law Council of Australia's submission, 7 May 2013, p. 2.

[60]      Submission 26, pp 24-25.

[61]      Response to questions on notice provided by AGD on 24 May 2013, p. 3.

[62]      Response to questions on notice provided by AGD on 24 May 2013, p. 3.

CHAPTER 4 - COMMITTEE VIEWS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

[1]        Submission 10, pp 6 and 18-19.

[2]        See: AGD, Submission 10, p. 21.

[3]        AGD, 'An evidence base for the civil justice system', http://www.ag.gov.au/LegalSystem/Pages/Anevidencebasefortheciviljusticesystem.aspx  (accessed 24 May 2013).

[4]        Responses to questions on notice provided by the Attorney-General's Department on 24 May 2013, p. 9.

[5]        Submission 10, p. 14.

[6]        NSW Council for Civil Liberties, Submission 29, p. 4.

[7]        Ms Liz Pinnock, Hunter Community Legal Centre, Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, pp 20‑21. See also: Hunter Community Legal Centre, Supplementary Submission 17, pp 1‑4 and 10.

[8]        Ms Lucy Larkins, Federation of Community Legal Centres Victoria, Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 26. See also: Response to a question on notice provided by the Federation of Community Legal Centres Victoria on 24 May 2013, pp 2-3.

[9]        Dr Albin Smrdel, AGD, Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 33.

CHAIR'S VIEWS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

[1]        Submission 9, p. 7.

[2]        Response to questions on notice received from the Attorney-General's Department on 24 May 2013, p. 9.

[3]        The 'reduced fee' rate for divorce applications is available to individuals who would qualify for an exemption for other fees. This includes legal aid recipients, certain concession card holders and those for whom paying fees would cause financial hardship.

[4]        See: Ms Lucy Larkins, Federation of Community Legal Centres Victoria, Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, pp 21-22.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS BY COALITION SENATORS

[1]        Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 6.

[2]        Mr Peter Bowen, Chief Finance Officer of the Federal Court of Australia, Estimates Hansard, 29 May 2013, p. 62.

[3]        Law Council of Australia, Submission 26, p. 4.

[4]        Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 8.

[5]        Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 15.

[6]        Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 28.

[7]        Mr John Emmerig, Law Council of Australia, Committee Hansard, 17 May 2013, p. 13.