The Australia Bill UK

In January 1986 the House of Commons and the House of Lords debated the UK Australia Act Bill. Many revelations were discussed to which the below summary covers. Within the House of Lords debate Robin Maxwell Hyslop (1931 - 2010) raised many issues and even requested the Bill be sent back to Australia for redrafting after picking up many anomalies within the Bill such as the definitions and lack of clarity to discover the intent of the Bill due to  "incompetent drafting services."

 

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Debate Quote from Robin Maxwell Hyslop ~

" My appeal is for clear and competent drafting of Bills rather than such incompetence, which is only just legally complete, but is not what it could have been or should have been. That is the point I wish to place on record. If the Bill should be tested, as it could be in the British court. an Australian court or, in cases of conflict of jurisdiction, in any other court in the world, I would prefer to have a simple and what should be dignified measure stating clearly what it does instead of starting with avoidable ambiguities without explanation until clause 16.I think that the protest ought to be made even on this occasion, and I assure my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State that I shall continue to make such protests if he employs the same draftsmen for future Bills. "

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