Pacific Legal Knowledge Program
The Pacific Legal Knowledge Program is a regional initiative run by the Attorney‑General’s Department involving workshops and other projects aimed at improving international legal cooperation and legislative drafting in the Pacific. The program was endorsed at the 2005 Pacific Islands Law Officers Network (PILON) meeting.
The program aims to improve the knowledge and skills of line officers and practitioners from law and justice agencies within Pacific island countries.
Regional International Crime Cooperation Workshop
The Regional International Crime Cooperation (ICC) Workshop seeks to develop the practical legal knowledge and investigatory skills of officers from law and justice agencies in the Pacific.
ICC workshops are conducted by officers from the Attorney-General’s Department with the involvement of the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions and the Australian Federal Police. The workshops are practical, using a combination of presentations, group discussions and hypothetical scenario-based exercises. Activities include prosecutors drafting court orders and police officers developing investigation plans. The travel and accommodation costs of Pacific law and police officers attending the workshop are funded by the Department.
Successful ICC workshops have been held in 2005 in Vanuatu, in 2007 in Samoa and in 2008 in Brisbane, Australia. The target audience of the workshop shifted from legal officers in 2005 to police officers and prosecutors in 2007 and 2008. The mixture of prosecutors and police fosters more effective cooperation and communication between Pacific law and justice sector agencies (domestically and internationally).
Legislative Drafting Pairing Program
To assist the development of Pacific island drafters, the Department runs the Pacific Legislative Drafting Pairing Program under PLKP. Each year the pairing program aims to improve a Pacific legislative drafter’s knowledge and capacity in drafting through practical drafting experience, training and mentoring over a three month period in Canberra.