Terms
Commission
Royal Commission into the Management of Police Informants.
Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
Continuing Professional Development obligations are intended to ensure that lawyers are continually updating and improving their skills and knowledge to maintain the quality of the service expected by, and delivered to, their clients and the community.
Disclosure
A process in court proceedings where each party is required to give any information that is, or may be considered, relevant to the case. In criminal proceedings the prosecution (including the police) has a duty to disclose all evidence that is relevant to the case against an accused person, even if that evidence might undermine the prosecution’s case or help the accused person’s case. This duty is subject to some exceptions, including information protected by public interest immunity.
Criminal Procedure Amendment (Disclosure Certificates) Regulations 2022 (Disclosure Certificates Regulations)
Regulations prescribing the form of the disclosure certificate introduced by the Criminal Procedure Disclosure Act.
Human source
Under the Human Source Management Bill, a human source is a person Victoria Police has registered to confidentially provide information or assistance to police to assist with a criminal investigation. A human source is also referred to as a police ‘informer’ or ‘informant’.
Human Source Management Bill 2022
The Bill introduced into the Victorian Parliament on 16 August 2022 that delivers 25 Commission recommendations (recommendations 8-18, 44-56 and 58) for the Victorian Government to implement legislation for registration, use, management and external oversight of Victoria Police’s human sources.
Justice Legislation Amendment (Criminal Procedure Disclosure and Other Matters) Act 2022 (Criminal Procedure Disclosure Act)
The Criminal Procedure Disclosure Act amended the Criminal Procedure Act 2009 to deliver recommendations 62, 63 and 66 of the Commission’s final report and the outcomes of the review undertaken to deliver recommendation 67.
Implementation Monitor
The Implementation Monitor monitors progress and adequacy of implementation of the Commission’s recommendations by responsible agencies. The Implementation Monitor reports annually to the Attorney-General on progress and adequacy of implementation and provides advice to the Attorney-General regarding what further measures may be taken to ensure that recommendations are implemented in full.
Implementation Taskforce
The administrative taskforce chaired by the Secretary of the Department of Justice and Community Safety and constituted by senior representatives of each Victorian agency responsible for implementation of the Commission’s recommendations.
Inquiries Act 2014 (Inquiries Act)
The legislation that governs the establishment and conduct of inquiries, including royal commissions, in Victoria.
Legal Profession Uniform Law (Uniform Law)
The common regulatory framework, governing legal professional practice in Victoria, New South Wales, and Western Australia, outlined in schedule 1 of the Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Act 2014.
Law Council of Australia (LCA)
An association of law societies and bar associations from the states and territories of Australia, and the peak body representing the legal profession in Australia.
Law Institute of Victoria (LIV)
The peak representative body for the legal profession in Victoria and provides key services such as legal CPD, a legal bookshop and library, and legal costing services.
Legal Services Council (LSC)
The LSC and Commissioner for Uniform Legal Services Regulation oversee the implementation of the Legal Profession Uniform Law scheme.
Police Informants Royal Commission Implementation Monitor Act 2021 (Implementation Monitor Act)
Establishes the Implementation Monitor and provides the functions, powers and duties of the Implementation Monitor.
Potentially affected person
A person, convicted of a criminal offence, whose case the Commission assessed and determined may have been affected by Victoria Police’s use of Ms Gobbo as a human source.
Public interest immunity (PII)
A rule of evidence in court proceedings and inquiries. The rule states relevant evidence is not to be disclosed where disclosure would damage the public interest and the need to avoid damage outweighs a person’s right to have all the relevant evidence made available to them.
Responsible or lead agency
An entity responsible for implementing the Commission’s recommendation.
Special Investigator Act 2021 (Special Investigator Act)
Legislation that established the Office of the Special Investigator to investigate potential criminal conduct and breaches of discipline arising from the use by Victoria Police of Ms Nicola Gobbo as a human source.
Victorian Bar Council (Victorian Bar)
Manages the activities of the Bar supported by a group of committees for specific interest groups and areas of the Bar's administration.
Victorian Government Solicitor's Office (VGSO)
An administrative office that provides legal services for the State and in the State's interests, acting for the Executive Government of the State, and with the Victorian Government Solicitor being the lawyer on the record in court proceedings.
Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner (VLSB+C)
Independent statutory authorities responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in Victoria.
Updated