Energy and Resources Point-in-Time Service Updates

The Energy and Resources Point-in-Time Service has just been updated to include new amendments from the Courts Administration Legislation Amendment Act 2016 (Act 24 of 2016) (Cth) and the Mineral Resources (Aurukun Bauxite Resource) Amendment Act 2016 (Act 10 of 2016) (QLD).

Act 24 of 2016 (CTH)

The Courts Administration Legislation Amendment Act would bring the Federal Court of Australia (Federal Court), the Family Court of Australia (Family Court) and the Federal Circuit Court of Australia (Federal Circuit Court) into a single administrative entity and make legislative provision for the courts to share corporate services. The entity would also include the National Native Title Tribunal, which is currently within the Federal Court entity.

The Act would implement the measure announced as part of the Government’s 2015-16 Budget to merge the corporate services functions of the Federal Court with those of the Family Court and Federal Circuit Court. This measure formed part of the package of reforms aimed at streamlining and improving the financial sustainability of the federal courts.

The Act would generate efficiencies through the establishment of shared corporate services functions for the courts to reduce unnecessary duplication, consistent with the Government’s commitment to remove inefficiencies in public administration. These savings gained from reducing the administrative burden on each of the courts as they currently stand would then be reinvested to support the core functions of the courts.

The shared corporate services would be managed by the Federal Court Chief Executive Officer and Principal Registrar (CEO), which would allow for streamlining of existing services where appropriate, with the objective of placing the courts on a sustainable funding footing.

The courts’ independence would be preserved in the Act by maintaining their distinct statutory identities and retaining separate establishing legislation for each of the courts.

The Act would primarily affect the courts’ administrative and corporate operations through consolidating finance, human resources, information technology, and property and operations arrangements. It would not affect the substantive rights of court users.

Act 10 of 2016 (QLD)

An Act to amend the Mineral Resources Act 1989 for particular purposes.

The amendments made by Act 24 of 2016 (Cth) and Act 10 of 2016 (QLD) were updated in the Point-in-Time Energy and Resources Service with a currency of 3 April 2016. (NB: Subscription required).

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