XN000022-1982-06-30 — Page 7

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 1982

EVIDENCE (AMENDMENT) BILL 1982

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THE OBJECT OF THE EVIDENCE (AMENDMENT) BILL IS TO REMOVE DOUBTS ABOUT THE VALIDITY OF ALLOWING DIFFERENT PEOPLE TO CARRY OUT TRANSLATING AND TRANSCRIBING WORK AND SIGNING CERTIFICATES RELATING TO SUCH WORK, THE ACTING LAW DRAFTSMAN, THE HON J.J. O'GRADY, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

IN MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE BILL, MR O'GRADY SAID THE BILL IS CONCERNED WITH A TECHNICAL PROBLEM RELATING TO THE USE OF CERTIFIED TRANSLATIONS OF DOCUMENTS AND TRANSCRIPTS OF TAPE RECORDINGS AS EVIDENCE IN LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.

HE EXPLAINED THAT WHILE THE JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT HAS A STAFF OF OFFICIAL INTERPRETERS WHO ADDITIONALLY DEAL WITH DOCUMENTS AND RECORDINGS, AND PRODUCE MORE THAN 14 000 PAGES OF WORK IN A MONTH, THIS IS ONLY ABOUT FIVE PER CENT OF THE CASES.

+TRANSLATIONS ARE USUALLY SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT IN THE FORM OF DRAFTS PREPARED BY SOLICITORS, OR THE POLICE, OR THE_ICAC, OR WHATEVER AUTHORITY IS INVOLVED IN THE PREPARATION OF THE CASE, MANY OF WHOM HAVE COMPETENT LINGUISTS IN THE IR STAFF,+ HE SAID.

+THE DRAFTS ARE THEN CHECKED AND CORRECTED IN THE DEPARTMENT BEFORE BEING CERTIFIED AS ACCURATE.

+ON THE BASIS OF THIS CERTIFICATE, THE RELEVANT TRANSLATION IS PRODUCED IN COURTS AND, BY VIRTUE OF THE ORDINANCE, ADMITTED IN EVIDENCE AS AN ACCURATE TRANSLATION OF THE ORIGINAL, HE SAID.

THE WORKLOAD IN THIS AREA IS SUCH THAT THE PRESENT PRACTICE COULD NOT BE CHANGED WITHOUT A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN STAFF, TIME AND COST.

+ON THE OTHER HAND, MR O'GRADY SAID, THE PRACTICE HAS BEEN WORKING SATISFACTORILY, AND PROPER STANDARDS OF ACCURACY HAVE BEEN MAINTAINED.+

IT WAS THEREFORE PROPOSED TO REMOVE ANY DOUBT AS TO ITS LEGALITY AND CORRECTNESS, HE SAID.

DEBATE ON THE BILL WAS ADJOURNED.

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