I WANT THE JUSTICE SYSTEM TO DEAL WITH ME FAIRLY: I SHOULD NOT BE PERSECUTED FOR NO PROFESSIONAL MISCONDUCT. I WANT TO UPHOLD THE PUBLIC INTERESTS THAT THE COMMON PEOPLE GET FAIR LEGAL SERVICES
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
WHERE IS THE JUSTICE FOR ME IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW III?
Re: Lloyd Rayney argues he is fit to practise law: Perth tribunal
Inbox
Unity Party WA
11:37 (17 minutes ago)
to President, Press, me, Editor, Editor, President, customer.servi., Andrew, Editor, Editor, Editor, Editor, Editor, Editor, Editor, Editor, Editor, Editor, Editor, Editor, Editor, Editor, Editor, Editor, Editor
Dear Justice Jeremy Curthoys,
We are still waiting for a reply from the Legal Practice Board as to why our member Mr. Nicholas Chin was deregistered. Is it because he is a Chinese-Australian?
Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours respectfully,
Eddie Hwang
President
Unity Party WA
info@unitywa.org
http://uitypartywa.wordpress.com
http://twitter.com/unitypartywa
Fax/hone: 61893681884
Save the trees - Please use email
UPWA is the only political Party that calls a spade a spade..
Lloyd Rayney argues he is fit to practise law: Perth tribunal an hour ago - KATE CAMPBELLAAP
FORMER Perth barrister Lloyd Rayney was aware he was breaking the law when he recorded his estranged wife’s private phone calls and disposed of potential evidence, a lawyer has argued in a WA tribunal.
A three-day hearing to determine whether Mr Rayney is a fit and proper person to practise as a lawyer started in the State Administrative Tribunal on Tuesday.
Mr Rayney is challenging the Legal Practice Board’s decision to cancel his certificate on the basis that he arranged the installation of phone interception equipment at his home shortly before Corryn Rayney was murdered in August 2007.
Mr Rayney was acquitted in 2012 of his wife’s murder.
Earlier this year he was acquitted in the District Court of illegally intercepting the home telephone to record his wife’s calls after the judge found he had no case to answer midway through a trial.
Martin Cuerden, lawyer for the Legal Practice Board, said the SAT should find that Mr Rayney knew it was an offence to record his wife’s private conversations with
The board rejected Mr Rayney’s claim that he arranged for a listening device to be installed to record conversation he was a part of, he said.
Mr Cuerden said Mr Rayney disposed of two dictaphones he knew were covered by a search warrant — after the execution of the warrant and after police had named him the “prime” and “only” suspect in his wife’s death, which made the prospect of criminal proceedings reasonably foreseeable.
He also said Mr Rayney had shown a lack of candour with the board.
The lawyer said it was common ground between the parties that Mr Rayney had arranged for the device to be installed but what was in contention was his purpose for doing so and the timing of it — whether it was before or after his wife went on a trip to Melbourne with their daughters.
Mr Cuerden said despite the District Court acquittal, the tribunal could still find against Mr Rayney because it had a different purpose and there was a different standard of proof, meaning the tribunal had to be satisfied on the balance of probabilities rather than beyond a reasonable doubt.
Mr Rayney, who is vigorously defending himself, is set to give evidence later in the hearing, which will be the first time he has testified in a public courtroom about any of the allegations levelled at him since his wife’s murder.
He has submitted a 170-page statement as part of his case.
The board told the tribunal on Tuesday it was unable to serve a summons on its main witness, Timothy Pearson — the man who installed the device for Mr Rayney — to give evidence.
The tribunal agreed to accept a bundle of five lever-arch files of Mr Pearson’s witness statements, affidavits and transcripts of his evidence despite Mr Rayney’s defence team strongly objecting to the “extraordinarily unusual” request.
Mr Rayney’s lawyer Martin Bennett said his client was greatly disadvantaged by Mr Pearson’s absence and accused the board of trying to prove its case in a “piecemeal” and “mishmash” manner. Mr Cuerden rejected these assertions.
“We greatly desire to discuss matters with Mr Pearson. We’re hampered by his absence.” he said.
Mr Bennett also accused the board of trying to “go behind” the District Court acquittal.
The hearing, before SAT president Justice Jeremy Curthoys and members Maurice Spillane and Patric de Villiers, continues.
Tell the community whats on your mind
WHERE IS THE JUSTICE ACCORDED TO ME IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW II?
From: Unity Party WA [mailto:info@unitywa.org]
Sent: Thursday, August 27, 2015 11:11 AM
To: Commissioner - C.C.C.
Cc: Nicholas N Chin
Subject: Re: Your complaint to the CCC [CCC - Unclassified]
Dear Mr. Menzies,
Would you like to comment, please?
Yours sincerely,
Eddie Hwang.
************************
Dear Sir
1) Thank you for your response letter dated 26th August 2015 to my Complaint Letter dated 26th June, 2015 bearing Your Ref: 02020/2015/MGMCMIS Auth No: 22830.
As anticipated, I regret your invalid decision to my complaint based on the following missing jurisdictional facts (the Missing Jurisdictional Facts):
1.1) the conspiracy to remove my name from the roll of barristers and solicitors (the conspiracy)
1.2) the untruths of the allegations made against me which forms the basis of that conspiracy (the untruths);
1.3 ) the untruths in relation to the findings of the various judges pertaining to the misconduct of my fellow solicitors Mr. Timothy Robin Thies and Mr. David Taylor who breached the rules of the profession and are able to get away with it because of the corrupt conduct of those judges (the corrupt conduct of judicial officers);
1.4) The corrupt conduct of judicial officers was achieved through the devious process of using the untruthful findings of my alleged dishonesty in relation to Ms. Nalini when no property of hers was ever deprived by me and the fact that she withdrew from her complaint (the contrived excuse of the serious misconduct of the judicial officers).
2. Your decision not to investigate the complaint further and to shelve the Complaint made on 26.8.2015 is a non-decision or a CORAM NON-JUDICE on the grounds of the MISSING JURISDICTIONAL FACTS.
3. Your decision is that of a decision maker in the CCC and is equivalent to that of an inferior tribunal and there is no requirement for me to appeal against it for the purpose of setting aside and is an invalid decision (the Invalid Decision).
4. For the Invalid Decision to be valid, you need to address the Missing Jurisdictional Issues in the Reason for Your Decision and you have failed to do this.
5. By reason of the Invalid Decision, you have not performed your duties as is required of you in the public position that you hold and you are not serving the public interests in holding on to that office by not enlivening your authority with that Invalid Decision you have achieved. This situation may be explained by what The Chief Justice of Western Australia Wayne Martin C.J. in the case of Stewart v City of Belmont [2013] WASC 366 (10 October 2013) at paragraph 54 which states:
"54 There is, of course, a well-established distinction between jurisdictional facts - facts which must exist in order to enliven jurisdiction, and facts which are to be determined in the course of exercising jurisdiction - see Corporation of the City of Enfield v Development Assessment Corporation [2000] HCA 5; (2000) 199 CLR 135, 148 [28]; Plaintiff M70/2011 v Minister for Immigration and Citizenship [2011] HCA 32; (2011) 244 CLR 144 (Plaintiff M70). If jurisdiction depends upon the existence of a fact, and if it is established in proceedings for judicial review that the fact does not exist, it will follow that the decision maker has exceeded jurisdiction and relief may be granted (Plaintiff M70; Kirk v Industrial Relations Commission (2010) 239 CLR 531 [72]). On the other hand, if the existence or otherwise of the fact is something to be determined in the course of exercising jurisdiction, it will be for the decisionmaker, and not for the court exercising powers of judicial review to determine whether or not that fact exists"
6. Further Your statutory powers is not enlivened by virtue of the fact that your decision have not met with the criteria or the condition of your decision and therefore Your Invalid Decision may be described as "arbitrary, capricious, irrational and not bona fide as explained below by the High Court of Australia in many cases on Jurisdictional Facts for instance at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jurisdictional_fact where it says, inter alia, the following:
6.1. These criteria of Jurisdiction:
6.1.1. are created by and operate through statute: Timbarra Protection Coalition Inc v Ross Mining NL & Ors [1999] NSWCA 8, at [28];
6.1.2. may be subjective: Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v SZMDS (2010) 240 CLR 611, at 30;
6.1.3. may be objective in nature and may also be a complex of interactions: Minister for Immigration v Eshetu [1999] HCA 21 at 130 see also R v Hickman (1945) 70 CLR 598 (5 September 1945).
6.2. But These criteria of Jurisdiction must NOT be:
6.2.1. illogical: Minister for Immigration v Eshetu [1999] HCA 21 at 130 see also R v Hickman (1945) 70 CLR 598 (5 September 1945);
6.2.2. capricious and must be actual: Liversidge v Anderson [1942] AC 206 [21] (Atkins).
7. And further, you must not lose track of the fact that the former Director of the CCC when he was a Senior Judge of the Supreme Court of WA did let me have a reprieve from the malicious persecution of the LPCC which eventually brought about the conspiracy. My efforts to regain my positon and their favours just eluded my grasp ever so often as there is a never ending leash upon me to stop me from lawyering based upon inadequate reasons and they have to keep finding a valid reason. In the end, they still did not find that reason but they found a way to make me a vexatious litigant and thereby ended my career by taking my name off the roll for no dishonesty or rather a feigned dishonesty.
8. I hope the above will help you to make a proper and valid decision so that I can lay this matter at rest, otherwise, there is going to be an unending nightmare for me to unravels why the State of Western Australia has not delivered even justice to me and my soul will not rest in peace. .
Yours faithfully
NICHOLAS N CHIN
387 ALEXANDER DRIVE
DIANELLA WA 6059
Phone: 0892757440
Mobile: 0421642735.
WHERE IS THE JUSTICE ACCORDED TO ME IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW?
From: Eddie Hwang [mailto:eddieh@iinet.net.au]
Sent: Friday, August 14, 2015 9:31 AM
To: eddieh@iinet.net.au
Subject:
Lloyd Rayney to give evidence in fight to save legal career
August 12, 2015 1:57pm - KATE CAMPBELLPerthNow
Lloyd Rayney’s appeal against the Legal Practice Board’s decision to cancel his certificate to practise law is set to be heard in October. Picture: File image
FORMER prominent Perth barrister Lloyd Rayney is likely to give evidence at a hearing later this year as he fights to save his legal career.
It will be the first time Mr Rayney takes to the witness stand to give evidence in a public courtroom on any of the allegations levelled at him since his estranged wife Corryn was murdered in 2007.
Mr Rayney is challenging a decision by the Legal Practice Board to cancel his certificate to practise law.
In the State Administrative Tribunal on Wednesday, it emerged that former WA Governor and experienced QC Malcolm McCusker will represent Mr Rayney at the appeal hearing scheduled to be held in October.
Mr Rayney is appealing to the SAT after the LPB informed him of the cancellation last month over concerns about his behaviour shortly before his Supreme Court registrar wife was murdered – namely allegations he taped conversations with his wife and deliberately disposed of a dictaphone used to record them when he knew police had a search warrant.
The Legal Profession Complaints Committee’s investigation of Mr Rayney is ongoing but should be finalised soon, the tribunal was told.
Mr Rayney has previously given a commitment to the LPB that he would not engage in legal practice in WA again without first giving 42 days notice.
Mr Rayney was acquitted of wilful murder in 2012 and a subsequent appeal was dismissed.
The former prosecutor was also acquitted in May of enlisting a surveillance expert to illegally intercept his wife’s landline phone calls after a District Court judge ruled midway through the trial that Mr Rayney had no case to answer.
Ms Rayney disappeared after her weekly bootscooting class and was found buried in Kings Park in August 2007.
Mr Rayney’s is suing the State Government for defamation after a senior detective labelled him the “prime” and “only” suspect in his wife’s murder about a month after she was killed.
A cold case review of Mrs Rayney’s unsolved murder was launched in May.
Friday, October 9, 2015
ADMISSIBLITY OF MATERIAL RELEVANT TO PENALTY AT THE LIABILITY STAGE: AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY BLOG
The Australian Professional Liability Blog
Admissibility of material relevant to penalty at the liability stage
Posted: 07 Oct 2015 01:01 AM PDT
In my experience, the Legal Services Commissioner generally assumes that material relevant to penalty is inadmissible at the liability stage. So, for example, the Commissioner applied recently for leave to re-cross-examine a practitioner in a disciplinary hearing, after the close of evidence, in order to adduce evidence relevant to penalty by reference to ‘disciplinary priors’, even though the practitioner did not propose to give further evidence.
I knew there was some case which said that under legislation cognate with the Legal Profession Act 2004 there is, in law, just one hearing, but it is one of those many authorities which, despite this blog, got away from me, never to be found again. But now I have stumbled across it again, and here it is, from Puryer v Legal Services Commissioner [2012] QCA 300, a unanimous decision:
‘[33] The written submissions filed by the Legal Services Commissioner on 11 May 2011 dealt with penalty as well as the charges and gave details of findings of professional misconduct against the appellant on two earlier occasions. It was submitted that the only appropriate penalty was the removal of the appellant’s name from the roll. The appellant, in response, said that there was no evidence of his previous breaches; that his antecedents were only relevant and should only be placed before the tribunal if an adverse finding were made; and that the paragraphs dealing with penalty were prejudicial and should be struck out.
[34] In oral submissions, the appellant’s counsel conceded that he could not point to anything in the tribunal’s reasons which showed that it had used the information about the appellant’s previous breaches in considering whether the charges were made out. Indeed he rejected any suggestion that the deliberations of the judicial member of the tribunal could have been affected by the material. He could not point to any prejudice to his client and did not put his submission any higher than that it would be good practice, where the tribunal consisted of lay members as well as a judicial member, to separate submissions about penalty from those about liability.
[35] Section 456(1) of the Legal Profession Act provides as follows:
“456 Decisions of tribunal about an Australian legal practitioner
(1) If, after the tribunal has completed a hearing of a discipline application in relation to a complaint or an investigation matter against an Australian legal practitioner, the tribunal is satisfied that the practitioner has engaged in unsatisfactory professional conduct or professional misconduct, the tribunal may make any order as it thinks fit, including any 1 or more of the orders stated in this section.”
That section appears to envisage that the tribunal may make its order upon the necessary satisfaction without necessarily conducting any further hearing. Counsel for the appellant very properly drew the court’s attention to the fact that in Madden’s case the notion of a two-step proceeding was rejected; instead, it was said that s 456 “contemplate[d] a hearing followed by both the findings of any proved misconduct and the imposition of the appropriate penalty for that misconduct”.[12] Generally speaking, it is not a denial of natural justice for a disciplinary body to receive submissions on both charge and penalty at the same time, provided the person charged has been given the opportunity to address on penalty should the question of guilt be resolved against him.[13] Here, the appellant had the opportunity – although he did not take it – to respond to the Legal Services Commissioner’s submissions on penalty.
[36] The Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal is not bound by the rules of evidence or the practice or procedures of courts of record; it may inform itself in any way it considers appropriate; and it is required to act with as little formality and technicality with as much speed as the requirements of the Act in consideration of the matters before it permit.[14] Nonetheless, it must act on probative evidence, and there was no suggestion here that the previous breaches were relevant to the proof of the charges as, for example, similar fact evidence. But as counsel for the appellant conceded, there is no basis for supposing that the reference in the submissions to prior breaches affected the tribunal’s deliberations on whether the appellant was guilty of the charges. He did not contend, in my view correctly, that what was done rose to the level of an abuse of process.
[37] However, as counsel for the appellant also submitted, the practice of putting in submissions on penalty in the same document as submissions on liability is generally undesirable. Apart from anything else, until it is known what charges have been found proved it will usually be difficult to make useful submissions; and, if adverse material in relation to antecedents is not put forward as probative on liability, the risk exists of its having a prejudicial effect. One would think, in general, that unless there were some agreement to adopt a different approach, the better course would be to give each party an opportunity to make submissions once the findings on the charges were made.’
THE EXTENDED DURATION OF THE UN-RENEWED PRACTISING CERTIFICATE: THE AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY BLOG
The Australian Professional Liability Blog
The extended duration of the un-renewed practising certificate
Posted: 07 Oct 2015 05:16 PM PDT
Under the Legal Profession Act 2004, if a lawyer applied for renewal of their practising certificate prior to the expiry of the old one, but a decision was not made before the old one runs out, the certificate is extended until either it is renewed or a decision to refuse renewal is finally determined by the exhaustion of all rights of review of that decision. No one has ever really known what that meant. There is a statutory review procedure in VCAT and then there are appeals all the way to the High Court. Are the appeals from the review ‘a right of review of the decision’? The Supreme Court has now determined that the certificate endures (if not earlier cancelled or suspended by the stipes) until the end of the High Court appeal.
The question arose in Batrouney v Forster (No 2) [2015] VSC 541, handed down by Justice Robson yesterday (see paras [167] – [193]). It represents a further embarrassment for the Legal Services Board appointed receivers of David Forster’s practice, Hollows Lawyers, with a savage series of costs orders against the receivers in Mr Forster’s favour. That followed findings that the receivers’ proceedings were in part misconceived, and that they breached more than one provision of the Civil Procedure Act 2010. The question was at what point did Mr Forster cease to hold a practising certificate and so cease to be entitled to claim costs of acting for himself under the Cachia v Hanes (1994) 179 CLR 403 at 411–413 exception to the rule that self-represented litigants are not entitled to costs for work done by themselves.
The question is a matter of significance to practitioners who get themselves fairly deep into trouble. It means that those whose practising certificates are not renewed may continue to practice and earn income to put towards the legal costs of challenging that decision, and it also means that such practitioners may brief counsel directly in circumstances where, by virtue of Bar rules about direct access, they might not otherwise be able to. And of course, it also means that if successful in such proceedings, they will get a costs indemnity against the time spent running their litigation.
Mr Forster is a man with his back to the wall, the subject of an avalanche of litigation brought by professional regulators. Until recently, he had been singularly unsuccessful and much chastised. It is probably fair to say that some people in the administration of justice, including the profession, would see him as a pariah. It ought therefore be of some comfort to those responsible for the justice system that this result has obtained. It suggests that the cab rank principle is alive and well, that judges are capable of dealing with each case impartially on its merits and according to law without being unduly influenced by past cases, and that the State will not protect itself where the law requires that it be dealt with.
Friday, October 2, 2015
UNITED NATIONS ROLE OF LAWYERS
Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers Adopted by the Eighth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders, Havana, Cuba, 27 August to 7 September 1990 Whereas in the Charter of the United Nations the peoples of the world affirm, inter alia, their determination to establish conditions under which justice can be maintained, and proclaim as one of their purposes the achievement of international cooperation in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion, Whereas the Universal Declaration of Human Rights enshrines the principles of equality before the law, the presumption of innocence, the right to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, and all the guarantees necessary for the defence of everyone charged with a penal offence, Whereas the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights proclaims, in addition, the right to be tried without undue delay and the right to a fair and public hearing by a competent, independent and impartial tribunal established by law, Whereas the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights recalls the obligation of States under the Charter to promote universal respect for, and observance of, human rights and freedoms, Whereas the Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment provides that a detained person shall be entitled to have the assistance of, and to communicate and consult with, legal counsel, Whereas the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners recommend, in particular, that legal assistance and confidential communication with counsel should be ensured to untried prisoners, Whereas the Safe guards guaranteeing protection of those facing the death penalty reaffirm the right of everyone suspected or charged with a crime for which capital punishment may be imposed to adequate legal assistance at all stages of the proceedings, in accordance with article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Whereas the Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power recommends measures to be taken at the international and national levels to improve access to justice and fair treatment, restitution, compensation and assistance for victims of crime, Whereas adequate protection of the human rights and fundamental freedoms to which all persons are entitled, be they economic, social and cultural, or civil and political, requires that all persons have effective access to legal services provided by an independent legal profession, Whereas professional associations of lawyers have a vital role to play in upholding professional standards and ethics, protecting their members from persecution and improper
restrictions and infringements, providing legal services to all in need of them, and cooperating with governmental and other institutions in furthering the ends of justice and public interest, The Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, set forth below, which have been formulated to assist Member States in their task of promoting and ensuring the proper role of lawyers, should be respected and taken into account by Governments within the framework of their national legislation and practice and should be brought to the attention of lawyers as well as other persons, such as judges, prosecutors, members of the executive and the legislature, and the public in general. These principles shall also apply, as appropriate, to persons who exercise the functions of lawyers without having the formal status of lawyers. Access to lawyers and legal services 1. All persons are entitled to call upon the assistance of a lawyer of their choice to protect and establish their rights and to defend them in all stages of criminal proceedings. 2. Governments shall ensure that efficient procedures and responsive mechanisms for effective and equal access to lawyers are provided for all persons within their territory and subject to their jurisdiction, without distinction of any kind, such as discrimination based on race, colour, ethnic origin, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, economic or other status. 3. Governments shall ensure the provision of sufficient funding and other resources for legal services to the poor and, as necessary, to other disadvantaged persons. Professional associations of lawyers shall cooperate in the organization and provision of services, facilities and other resources. 4. Governments and professional associations of lawyers shall promote programmes to inform the public about their rights and duties under the law and the important role of lawyers in protecting their fundamental freedoms. Special attention should be given to assisting the poor and other disadvantaged persons so as to enable them to assert their rights and where necessary call upon the assistance of lawyers. Special safeguards in criminal justice matters 5. Governments shall ensure that all persons are immediately informed by the competent authority of their right to be assisted by a lawyer of their own choice upon arrest or detention or when charged with a criminal offence. 6. Any such persons who do not have a lawyer shall, in all cases in which the interests of justice so require, be entitled to have a lawyer of experience and competence commensurate with the nature of the offence assigned to them in order to provide effective legal assistance, without payment by them if they lack sufficient means to pay for such services. 7. Governments shall further ensure that all persons arrested or detained, with or without criminal charge, shall have prompt access to a lawyer, and in any case not later than fortyeight hours from the time of arrest or detention. 8. All arrested, detained or imprisoned persons shall be provided with adequate opportunities, time and facilities to be visited by and to communicate and consult with a
lawyer, without delay, interception or censorship and in full confidentiality. Such consultations may be within sight, but not within the hearing, of law enforcement officials. Qualifications and training 9. Governments, professional associations of lawyers and educational institutions shall ensure that lawyers have appropriate education and training and be made aware of the ideals and ethical duties of the lawyer and of human rights and fundamental freedoms recognized by national and international law. 10. Governments, professional associations of lawyers and educational institutions shall ensure that there is no discrimination against a person with respect to entry into or continued practice within the legal profession on the grounds of race, colour, sex, ethnic origin, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, economic or other status, except that a requirement, that a lawyer must be a national of the country concerned, shall not be considered discriminatory. 11. In countries where there exist groups, communities or regions whose needs for legal services are not met, particularly where such groups have distinct cultures, traditions or languages or have been the victims of past discrimination, Governments, professional associations of lawyers and educational institutions should take special measures to provide opportunities for candidates from these groups to enter the legal profession and should ensure that they receive training appropriate to the needs of their groups. Duties and responsibilities 12. Lawyers shall at all times maintain the honour and dignity of their profession as essential agents of the administration of justice. 13. The duties of lawyers towards their clients shall include: (a) Advising clients as to their legal rights and obligations, and as to the working of the legal system in so far as it is relevant to the legal rights and obligations of the clients; (b) Assisting clients in every appropriate way, and taking legal action to protect their interests; (c) Assisting clients before courts, tribunals or administrative authorities, where appropriate. 14. Lawyers, in protecting the rights of their clients and in promoting the cause of justice, shall seek to uphold human rights and fundamental freedoms recognized by national and international law and shall at all times act freely and diligently in accordance with the law and recognized standards and ethics of the legal profession. 15. Lawyers shall always loyally respect the interests of their clients. Guarantees for the functioning of lawyers 16. Governments shall ensure that lawyers (a) are able to perform all of their professional functions without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference; (b) are able to travel and to consult with their clients freely both within their own country and abroad;
and (c) shall not suffer, or be threatened with, prosecution or administrative, economic or other sanctions for any action taken in accordance with recognized professional duties, standards and ethics. 17. Where the security of lawyers is threatened as a result of discharging their functions, they shall be adequately safeguarded by the authorities. 18. Lawyers shall not be identified with their clients or their clients' causes as a result of discharging their functions. 19. No court or administrative authority before whom the right to counsel is recognized shall refuse to recognize the right of a lawyer to appear before it for his or her client unless that lawyer has been disqualified in accordance with national law and practice and in conformity with these principles. 20. Lawyers shall enjoy civil and penal immunity for relevant statements made in good faith in written or oral pleadings or in their professional appearances before a court, tribunal or other legal or administrative authority. 21. It is the duty of the competent authorities to ensure lawyers access to appropriate information, files and documents in their possession or control in sufficient time to enable lawyers to provide effective legal assistance to their clients. Such access should be provided at the earliest appropriate time. 22. Governments shall recognize and respect that all communications and consultations between lawyers and their clients within their professional relationship are confidential. Freedom of expression and association 23. Lawyers like other citizens are entitled to freedom of expression, belief, association and assembly. In particular, they shall have the right to take part in public discussion of matters concerning the law, the administration of justice and the promotion and protection of human rights and to join or form local, national or international organizations and attend their meetings, without suffering professional restrictions by reason of their lawful action or their membership in a lawful organization. In exercising these rights, lawyers shall always conduct themselves in accordance with the law and the recognized standards and ethics of the legal profession. Professional associations of lawyers 24. Lawyers shall be entitled to form and join self‐governing professional associations to represent their interests, promote their continuing education and training and protect their professional integrity. The executive body of the professional associations shall be elected by its members and shall exercise its functions without external interference. 25. Professional associations of lawyers shall cooperate with Governments to ensure that everyone has effective and equal access to legal services and that lawyers are able, without improper interference, to counsel and assist their clients in accordance with the law and recognized professional standards and ethics. Disciplinary proceedings
26. Codes of professional conduct for lawyers shall be established by the legal profession through its appropriate organs, or by legislation, in accordance with national law and custom and recognized international standards and norms. 27. Charges or complaints made against lawyers in their professional capacity shall be processed expeditiously and fairly under appropriate procedures. Lawyers shall have the right to a fair hearing, including the right to be assisted by a lawyer of their choice. 28. Disciplinary proceedings against lawyers shall be brought before an impartial disciplinary committee established by the legal profession, before an independent statutory authority, or before a court, and shall be subject to an independent judicial review. 29. All disciplinary proceedings shall be determined in accordance with the code of professional conduct and other recognized standards and ethics of the legal profession and in the light of these principles.
Saturday, September 5, 2015
THE INHERENT NATURE OF THE AUSTRALIAN POLITY PREDISPOSES ITSELF TO BULLYING AMONG THOSE IN THE MEDICAL PROFESSION JUST AS IT HAPPENS IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION:
Dear Mr. Neave,
Please refer to our message to the Qld Health Minister yesterday.
Both Dr. Teo and Haikerwal should be congratulated for speaking out publicly.
We consider AHPRA should be investigated for not doing its job thoroughly.
Since there was a Senate Inquiry four years ago, would another inquiry help?
Looking forward to hearing from you in due course.
Yours respectfully,
Eddie Hwang
Unity Party WA
info@unitywa.org
http://uitypartywa.wordpress.com (published)
http://twitter.com/unitypartywa (published)
Fax/hone: 61893681884
Save the trees - Please use email
UPWA is the only political Party that calls a spade a spade.
Leading Sydney neurosurgeon backs a call for a Senate inquiry into the medical complaints process
ABC Corporation - Broadcast: 04/09/2015 - Reporter: Steve Cannane
After Lateline's special report on French surgeon Richard Emery, who was forced out of Australia after receiving anonymous complaints and medical audits, renowned neurosurgeon Charlie Teo has supported a call by independent Senator Nick Xenophon for an inquiry.
Transcript
EMMA ALBERICI, PRESENTER: Last night, we revealed the story of French spinal surgeon Richard Emery, who closed his practice and left Australia after he was the subject of repeated anonymous complaints and medical audits.
The story has touched a nerve inside and outside the medical profession.
One of the country's most renowned neurosurgeons, Dr Charlie Teo, has backed Senator Nick Xenophon's call made on this program last night for a Senate inquiry into the medical complaints process.
Charlie Teo has told Lateline that there is evidence of bullying in his profession that goes right to the top and that it's destroying the lives of doctors and their families.
Today, Senator Xenophon added to the debate, describing the medical complaints process as being, "all about protecting a closed shop rather than the best standards of patient care."
Steve Cannane reports.
STEVE CANNANE, REPORTER: He may have moved back to France, but the plight of Dr Richard Emery has now sparked calls for a Senate inquiry into the medical complaints process in Australia.
NICK XENOPHON, INDEPENDENT SENATOR: I'll be working on a Senate inquiry in relation to this. I've already had calls from some very senior surgeons around the country who say that what Dr Emery experienced is not unique and it raises some very disturbing questions about our health system.
STEVE CANNANE: Last night, Lateline revealed how Dr Emery was the subject of a series of complaints and audits that ultimately led him to close his practice and leave Australia. Those complaints came from surgeons who in some cases were his competitors.
Outspoken Sydney neurosurgeon Charlie Teo believes the complaints process is open to abuse and has backed calls for an inquiry.
CHARLIE TEO, NEUROSURGEON: I can tell you stories where it's gone that one step further than Richard Emery, stories where good neurosurgeons - and I know this for - from first-hand experience - good neurosurgeons, good people, doing exceptional things, pushing the envelope and making the established neurosurgeons look bad. The established neurosurgeons then have bullied this particular person I'm talking about for more than seven years resulting in his death by suicide eventually. So, Richard Emery, as you heard, was on the verge of suicide. There's another chap in Melbourne who's on the verge of suicide. Others have had their families completely destroyed and their lives destroyed.
STEVE CANNANE: Charlie Teo says there is a culture of bullying in surgery that goes right to the top.
CHARLIE TEO: There are, unfortunately, people that I know who are very guilty of bullying and discrimination who are currently holding positions of authority in those bodies like the College of Surgeons and like hospital medical advisory boards and expert advisory boards and associations, and unfortunately, while they're there, the culture's never gonna change. So what I'd like to see, is I'd like to see a system whereby complaints have to be legitimate, they have to be for the greater good. Like Nick Xenophon said, they have to made in good faith.
STEVE CANNANE: Dr Mukesh Haikerwal is a former president of the AMA and the chair of Beyond Blue's doctors' mental health program. He believes the AHPRA complaints process is harming the mental health of doctors.
MUKESH HAIKERWAL, BEYOND BLUE: It's part of the problem in the way it does its work, it's part of the problem because of the way which it does mandatory reporting and it's part of the problem because of the way it just jumps on people's potentially vexatious claims and takes them all seriously without first investigating them. And that's really got to be moderated and changed to give people more confidence in the system.
STEVE CANNANE: Dr Mukesh Haikerwal told a Senate Inquiry four years ago that he was concerned AHPRA's notification system would lead to doctors losing their jobs due to claims made in bad faith. He says it's time the process was reviewed.
MUKESH HAIKERWAL: So if we do have someone who has a problem, we need to be able to identify them, we need to be able to know that they'll be dealt with in a way that is - the same way as we would like to be dealt with; in other words, some respect, with some thoughtfulness, and obviously, if somebody's doing something that's wrong, that needs to be rectified
STEVE CANNANE: No-one from AHPRA was available for interview. In a statement, a spokesperson said, "If a notification is not made in good faith, and assessment finds no risk to the public, the matter will be closed with no adverse outcome for the practitioner. If the Board has evidence that a registered health practitioner has made a notification not in good faith, it will investigate and take appropriate action."
Dr Charlie Teo believes a simple change to the system could protect doctors from vexatious complaints.
CHARLIE TEO: I have thought about it and there are - I think there are ways we can get around it. Things like benchmarking. Now benchmarking simply says that, "If you're gonna complain that my complication rate is high, can you please give me a jury of similar surgeons who do similar operations and show me what their benchmark is? Show me what my complication rate is compared to theirs and if it's way, way higher, then I - I would concede. But if it's the same as or lower than, then please, back off."
EMMA ALBERICI: The Federal Health Minister Sussan Ley was in her electorate today and wasn't able to speak with us. Her department did, however, respond to questions raised by last night's story and you can read those answers on the Lateline website. The address is on screen now. (www.abc.net.au/lateline)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)