In December 2015, the Australian Government tasked the Secretary of the Attorney-General's Department to conduct a review of Commonwealth legal services. The findings and recommendations drew upon the expertise and experience of a diverse and highly engaged group of stakeholders across many Commonwealth entities and the legal services sector. It makes a number of wide-ranging recommendations for improvements to the Commonwealth legal services framework.
In May 2018, the Australian Government commissioned an independent review of the APS to ensure it was fit-for-purpose to serve all Australians for the coming decades.
The terms of reference set out the purpose, functions, composition and administration of the Legal Risk Committee as well as the interaction with the Significant Issues Legal Committee.
Endorsed by the head of the AGLS, the General Counsel Charter identifies Commonwealth General Counsel's obligations as part of the broader leadership cohort within the AGLS. It also sets out how the Office of Legal Services Coordination (OLSC) in the Attorney-General’s Department will support General Counsel to meet those obligations.
