The Queensland Law Society recognises the significance of the findings of the Interim Report, released earlier this week.
The ramifications are significant and the findings have caused broad and serious concern within the legal community. There are significant implications for complainants, victims and accused persons embedded with complex scientific and legal implications that must be worked through.
The Society, in its submission to the Commission, urged the Commission to release a consultation or issues paper prior to its final report, particularly in light of the short time frame in which the final report would become due. The Commission has instead released an interim report with a number of findings. Had a consultation or issues paper been released it would have permitted stakeholders to provide evidence to the Commission which is what ordinarily occurs prior to final findings being released. The Commission has clearly considered the matters it had identified and the subject of its report to be so significant that it was not necessary or appropriate to release a consultation or issues paper.
The Interim Report findings cannot be ignored. As the Society stated in its submission to the Commission, there is now an urgent need to implement processes and dedicate funding to investigate the findings contained within the Interim Report. The release of the Interim Report by the Commission permits this process to start without having to await a final report.
View our submission.
If the above link does not work for you, email media@qls.com.au and a copy can be sent to you.