MODEL DEFAMATION
AMENDMENT PROVISIONS 2020
1121. Hon
NICK GOIRAN to the parliamentary secretary representing the Attorney General:
I refer to the Model Defamation
Amendment Provisions 2020 that the Standing Council of Attorneys-General
approved back in July 2020, and the Attorney General's statement
published in The Australian Financial Review on 11 April 2021 that said
passage of the model bill was ''in progress, but not imminent''.
(1) Did the Attorney General attend
the Council of Attorneys-General meeting on 31 March 2021?
(2) Did the
Attorneys General at that meeting agree to commence the Model Defamation
Amendment Provisions on 1 July 2021 or as soon as possible thereafter?
(3) Which jurisdictions have
commenced the Model Defamation Amendment Provisions 2020?
(4) Given more
than 19 months have passed since he made his statement, is the Attorney General
planning to introduce a bill this year?
Hon
MATTHEW SWINBOURN replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question. The following answer is based on information
provided to me by the Attorney General.
(1) Yes.
(2) Yes. I table the communique for
the meeting of Attorneys General on 31 March 2021.
[See paper 1809.]
(3) The Model
Defamation Amendment Provisions 2020 have commenced in New South Wales, Victoria,
South Australia, Queensland, the Australian Capital Territory and Tasmania.
(4) The
government is progressing a full legislative reform agenda and must balance
competing priorities. Matters regarding legislative reform are decisions of
cabinet and are cabinet-in-confidence.