The President of the Law Society of the ACT, Sarah Avery, today acknowledged the call by the Shadow ACT Attorney-General for an independent review of the bail system in the ACT, prompted in part by the tragic events in Melbourne.
“Like others, the Society was deeply saddened by the events in the CBD in Melbourne and expresses its deepest sympathy to all those affected,” said Ms Avery.
“It is important to note that in the ACT bail is only granted through the Courts. This is a marked difference from the situation in Victoria, where bail could be granted by volunteer bail justices. The Society strongly believes that the Courts are best placed to hear all relevant evidence and argument by the parties and to make a determination based on that evidence.
“Should the ACT Government decide to implement a review of the bail system, the ACT Law Society is well placed to contribute expertise, given this is an area in which its members work and interact on a daily basis.
“In doing so, it is important that any review be an evidence-based, considered process that will take into account all relevant views. The Society would not support a hasty response prompted by the tragic events that have occurred in other jurisdictions.
“The Society is always happy to contribute to law reform – it is one of the key functions of the Society,” said Ms Avery. “The Society stands ready to assist in any comprehensive, evidence based review of the bail system.”
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