Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Northern Australia) Share this | Hansard source

As I noted in my second reading contribution, Labor opposes the proposal to change the Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 to allow the Federal Court, in the exercise of its appellate jurisdiction, to provide short-form reasons rather than detailed judgements where a decision dismissing an appeal does not raise any questions of general principle. As Labor senators of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee noted in their report, that aspect of the bill has been criticised by the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, the Josephite Justice Office and the Law Institute of Victoria on the basis that it will disadvantage unrepresented applicants, including those seeking review of refugee decisions. We share those concerns, and I'm moving this amendment to remove that aspect of the bill. I understand the government will be supporting this amendment, and again I thank the Attorney-General for listening to our concerns. I commend this amendment to the Senate.