INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANCIES

Although AGS practises primarily in Australia, we do international work when Australian Government interests are involved.

At present, we are doing legal work in the South Pacific. For example, we have had an ongoing role in a five-year project to strengthen Samoa’s Public Service Commission.

As part of this AusAid-sponsored project, Richard Harding, senior executive lawyer AGS Canberra, prepared minor amendments to Samoa’s constitution and Public Service Act. These have been passed into law. He prepared a second, and more substantial, Public Service Act amendment Bill covering public service values, employer principles and a new code of conduct. Richard also worked on Samoa’s Public Service Regulations, setting out a completely revised disciplinary process. This task gave him a significant opportunity to coach a Samoan draftsperson from the Attorney-General’s Department. The Bill was passed in 2002.

In 2003 Richard prepared a further Bill to complete the revision of the Public Service Act. The final inputs into the five-year project entailed completing the revision of the Public Service Regulations and providing assistance with implementation manuals.

Through AusAid’s Pacific in-country training project, AGS has conducted courses on both legislative drafting and drafting commercial legal documents for lawyers in Samoa’s government and also private practitioners.

Under an arrangement with AUSAID, advice was provided to the Solomon Islands Government by AGS senior executive lawyer Phill White on issues connected with the powers and immunities of Australian prison officers who are members of the Visiting Contingent working in the Solomon Islands Prison Service. Following the provision of the advice, legislation and accompanying documentation were drafted.