NSW Attorney-General Mark Speakman led a national process to reform and modernise the outdated laws,and in July last year attorneys-general from across the country agreed to implement the changes.
The model provisions have now been passed in three states – NSW,Victoria and South Australia – but those jurisdictions had been waiting for other states and territories to catch up before choosing a commencement date.
The trio have now agreed to commence the new laws on July 1,while other jurisdictions will follow suit either on that date or as soon as possible thereafter.
Mr Speakman said on Thursday that “all Australian jurisdictions agreed eight months ago the precise wording of reforms (and that they would start ‘as soon as possible’),providing ample time for all parliaments to have passed and proclaimed identical legislation”.
“Uniformity is highly desirable and all jurisdictions have committed to this as the ultimate outcome,but waiting indefinitely for a small minority of jurisdictions unwilling to commit to any commencement date for the reforms is not an option,” Mr Speakman said.
“All the remaining jurisdictions need to do is copy,paste,pass and proclaim the legislation to which they all agreed and continue to agree.