what does the attorney general do australia

The Attorney-General of Australia is our nation’s First Law Officer. The primary responsibility of this role is to protect the rule of law and the integrity of the Courts. In practice, the Attorney- General delegates many administrative functions of their role to others. The Attorney-General is a Member of Parliament, appointed by the Governor-General under the Constitution, on the advice of the Prime Minister.

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What is the role of the Attorney-General of Australia?

64 rows · The Attorney-General of Australia is the First Law Officer of the Crown in right of the Commonwealth of Australia, chief law officer of the Commonwealth of Australia and a minister of state.The Attorney-General is usually a member of the Federal Cabinet, but need not be.Under the Constitution, they are appointed by the Governor-General on the advice of the Prime Minister, …

What is the role of the Attorney General in the UK?

Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the Attorney-General’s Department: Find out how our services are being delivered and how you can access them. For the latest COVID-19 news, updates and advice from the Australian Government, visit Australia.gov.au

What if there is no Attorney General in Western Australia?

Attorney-General's Department. We work to maintain and improve Australia's law and justice framework, and facilitate jobs growth through policies that promote fair, productive, flexible and safe workplaces. More about the department.

What does the Governor-General of Australia do?

In Australia, the Attorney-General is the chief law officer of the Crown and a member of the Cabinet.The Attorney-General is the minister responsible for legal affairs, national and public security, and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation. Michaelia Cash is the current Attorney-General. The Australian states each have separate attorneys-general, who are state …

Is the Rule of Law in Australia soundly based?

The Rule of Law Institute of Australia respectfully considers the reasons of the General Editor in the May 2021 issue of the Australian Law Journal are not soundly based and is of the view that it would be contrary to the Rule of Law to hold an inquiry into whether Mr. Porter is a fit and proper person to hold the office of Attorney-General.

What is the role of the Attorney General?

It is the Attorney-General’s role to make sure there is public confidence in the rule of law and that those in power , whether they are the Parliament, Executive, Judiciary, Media or Community leaders, adhere to the rule of law. In protecting the rule of law, the Attorney-General must ensure the law is allowed to take its course.

How do we uphold the rule of law?

We uphold the rule of law through our daily work to ensure: · laws are clear , predictable and accessible. · laws are publicly made and the community is able to participate in the law-making process. · laws are publicly adjudicated in courts that are independent from the executive arm of government.

Is the Attorney General a political figure?

The role of the Attorney General is not political or personal, he occupies a role which transcends these interests. LJ King wrote in the Western Australian Law Review in October 2000; “…a special responsibility for the rule of law and the integrity of the legal system which transcends, and may at times be in conflict with political exigencies, ...

What is parallel justice?

For criminal matters, the Attorney-General must ensure they are appropriately dealt with first by a police investigation and then by the judicial system. Parallel systems of justice and trial by media are contrary to the rule of law and erode public confidence in the integrity of the legal system to provide justice.

What is the DPP?

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is also a delegation under Director of Public Prosecutions Act 1983 to initiate and conduct public prosecutions. At its most basic level, the rule of law is a simple concept. It requires that we have laws that are known, adhered to and enforced.

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Information about our organisational structure, our ministers and our portfolio.

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Current vacancies, how to apply for a job and what it is like to work with us.

Accountability and reporting

Budget and spending information, as well as corporate policies, plans and reports.

Connect with us

How to contact us, submit a media enquiry or connect with us on social media.

I want to..

Download a Word or PDF copy of a Commonwealth statutory declaration form (also known as a stat dec form).

News and updates

The Australian Government has released its response to the Functional and Efficiency Review of the National Archives of Australia and agreed in full, or in principle, to all 20 recommendations.

Families and marriage

We help to deliver a supportive and accessible family law system. We also provide guidance about getting married in Australia and information for marriage celebrants.

Rights and protections

We advise on policies and laws to help people enjoy a life where their rights are respected and protected.

What is an attorney general?

Attorneys-General in common law jurisdictions, and jurisdictions with a legal system which is partially derived from the common law tradition, share a common provenance.

When was the Attorney General of Tonga established?

The office of Attorney General was established in Tonga in 1988, and was held jointly with the portfolio of Justice Minister until the two were separated in 2009. The Attorney General is defined as the "Chief Legal Advisor to Government".

Who is a power of attorney?

The term was originally used to refer to any person who holds a general power of attorney to represent a principal in all matters. In the common law tradition, anyone who represents the state , especially in criminal prosecutions , is such an attorney.

Does the Attorney General give legal advice?

In practice, the extent to which the attorney general personally provides legal advice to the government varies between jurisdictions, and even between individual office-holders within the same jurisdiction, often depending on the level and nature of the office-holder's prior legal experience.

What is the role of the Attorney General in Fiji?

In Fiji, the role of the Attorney General is defined as "providing essential legal expertise and support to the Government". More specific functions include "legislative drafting", "legal aid", "the prerogative of mercy" (advising the President), "liquor licensing" and "film censorship".

Who was the Lord Advocate?

After the Acts of Union 1707, the Lord Advocate became the chief legal advisor to the British government in respect of Scotland.

Is the Attorney General the same as the Minister of Justice?

The Attorney-General attends Cabinet, but the post is not the same as the Minister of Justice. By tradition, persons appointed to the position of Attorney-General have been lawyers. Only two former Attorneys-General have not been lawyers, most recently Dr Michael Cullen who held the post in 2005, and again from 2006.

What is the role of an attorney general?

As chief legal officers of the states, commonwealths, District of Columbia, and territories of the United States, the role of an attorney general is to serve as counselor to state government agencies and legislatures, and as a representative of the public interest.

What is the People's Lawyer podcast?

The People’s Lawyer is a biweekly podcast from NAAG that explores the role of state and territory attorneys general as chief legal officers and their work protecting the rule of law and the U.S. Constitution.

What is the role of a public advocate?

Issuing formal opinions to state agencies. Acting as public advocates in areas such as child support enforcement, consumer protections, antitrust and utility regulation. Proposing legislation. Enforcing federal and state environmental laws. Representing the state and state agencies before the state and federal courts.

What are the duties of the Commonwealth?

Key constitutional duties include: 1 Presiding over the Federal Executive Council 2 Facilitating the work of the Commonwealth Parliament and Government 3 Dissolving Parliament and issuing writs for a Federal election 4 Commissioning the Prime Minister; appointing Ministers and Assistant Ministers; and swearing-in other statutory positions 5 Holding and possibly exercising the Reserve Powers.

What is the role of the Governor General?

The Governor-General acts on the advice of Ministers who are responsible to Parliament (and ultimately, through elections, the Australian people). Key constitutional duties include: Presiding over the Federal Executive Council. Facilitating the work of the Commonwealth Parliament and Government. Dissolving Parliament and issuing writs ...

Who approves the Australian Honours and Awards?

The Governor-General is the Chancellor of the Order of Australia and each year approves awards to recognise the service and contribution of outstanding Australians through the Australian Honours and Awards System.

What is the role of the Attorney General?

Attorneys throughout the country, the Attorney General may provide guidance interpreting the law to assist in prosecuting or defending the United States in legal proceedings. The Attorney General also oversees the federal prison system and all of the systems that pertain to it.

How many times has Barr been Attorney General?

Barr has served as Attorney General twice, once during the George H.W. Bush administration from 1991 to 1993, and currently in the Trump administration. Barr has been consistent in his determination that the Executive branch claims absolute executive authority, contrary to our system of checks and balances.

When was the Office of the Attorney General created?

The Office of the Attorney General was created in 1789 and was intended to be a one-person position. The person in the position was supposed to be “learned in the law” and was tasked with conducting all suits in the Supreme Court and advising the president and cabinet in law-related matters.

Who is in charge of the Justice Department?

The Attorney General is in charge of the Department and is responsible for all aspects of the Justice Department. The head of this vast bureaucracy has enough impact to shape the way laws are treated by law enforcement professionals across the country.

What is the Department of Justice?

The Department of Justice is responsible for most of the legal business of the government, and therefore, many of the law enforcement agencies throughout the country . There are six litigating divisions in the department: Antitrust.

Who is Marissa Jordan?

Marissa Jordan is an accountant and freelance writer interested in current events, economics, and science. Formerly, she wrote for technical blogs on specialized software. When not writing or accounting, she likes spending time with family, reading, and trivia.