Federal judicial commission consultation opens

The Albanese Government has released a discussion paper on the establishment of a federal judicial commission.

The Albanese Government gave in-principle support to a federal judicial commission in its response to the Australian Law Reform Commission’s (ALRC) report, Without Fear or Favour: Judicial Impartiality and the Law on Bias.

The ALRC found that while problematic conduct by judges is relatively rare, a federal judicial commission would provide a transparent and independent means to address complaints about the conduct of federal judges and reinforce public trust in the judicial system.

The ALRC report does not propose a particular model to adopt. The Government will consult broadly on possible models with today’s discussion paper providing a starting point to guide the early stages of this reform. 

This reform work reflects and builds upon the Government's strong commitment to integrity, fairness and accountability across all public institutions.

A federal judicial commission will complement the work of the National Anti-Corruption Commission which will commence operation this year.

Feedback on the questions raised in the discussion paper will be critical to inform the Government’s consideration of any potential federal judicial commission model.

All interested parties are encouraged to read the discussion paper and submit their views.

Submissions close Tuesday, 21 February 2023.