THE states are about to establish a high-powered committee of government officials aimed at streamlining work towards a seamless national system of electronic conveyancing.
The committee, made up of the heads of government departments, is the centrepiece of an agreement between the states on the way forward for electronic conveyancing.
The governments of NSW, Victoria and South Australia have endorsed a draft statement outlining principles that will govern the development of "a seamless national electronic conveyancing system".
Other states are considering endorsing the statement of principles.
The draft statement is intended to send a clear signal to lawyers, banks and non-lawyer conveyancers that the states have united to develop a system that meets the needs of the private sector and government agencies. Private sector users of conveyancing will not be part of the new committee but will be consulted.
Lawyers, the Australian Bankers Association and conveyancers remain part of another organisation, the National Electronic Conveyancing System, which has been charged by the states with building a national e-conveyancing system.
A Victorian government spokeswoman said the new group was not intended to replace any existing organisation.
The push for a national agreement between the states was an initiative of the Victorian minister responsible for electronic conveyancing, Environment Minister Gavin Jennings. He has been working closely with his NSW counterpart, Lands Minister Tony Kelly. The initiative, which could be made public as early as today, has come to light soon after last week's warning to the states from federal Attorney-General Philip Ruddock, who has urged the states to settle their differences over the establishment of e-conveyancing.
The initiative coincides with today's launch of the next stage of Victoria's e-conveyancing system, known as ECV. Big banks are boycotting ECV due to lack of progress on developing a national system.
Chris Merritt | November 16, 2007
The Australian
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