Monthly Archives: December 2017

Books, Books

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CLRI am grateful to the Courts Administration Authority of South Australia for entrusting me with a set of Commonwealth Law Reports, going back to Volume 1 (1903).

These days, electronic copies of law reports have largely taken over (the Supreme Court no longer needs so many sets), but there is still a residual place for bound volumes. The earlier ones are beautifully bound in leather, and there is something about reading a case in hard copy that speaks more cogently than a computer screen.

In due course, I will pass them on to Continue reading →

Well, well, well!

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John Chapman

John Chapman, Commissioner for Small Business, South Australia

This is interesting for South Australian construction.

The Fair Trading (Building and Construction Industry Dispute Resolution Code) Regulations 2017 was passed a week or so ago. I have only just seen it.

It contains wide powers for the Commissioner for Small Business (a bit of a misnomer, that one?) to require builders and others  involved in a construction-related dispute to participate in a government-run ADR process, and to exchange information, answer questions and contribute to the cost of  expert advice as required by the government. There is an obligation to act reasonably, fairly, honestly and cooperatively in the ADR process.

The basic expiation fee for non-compliance is $4,000. That might just the start of penalties for those who fail to co-operate.

The Minister talks about Continue reading →