Vic: New evidence laws to save cost for businesses

Victorian Attorney-General, Rob Hulls, said the new Evidence Act, introduced into State Parliament, will cut red tape and potentially save Victorians about $10 million a year.

"The legislation removes the original document rule which, when combined with current statute law, is complex and unwieldy," Mr Hulls said in a statement (24/06/2008).

"The rule has resulted in businesses, Government and not-for-profit organisations retaining documents in their original form as part of a prudent risk-management strategy for potential litigation. This places an unnecessary record-keeping burden on businesses," the Attorney-General said.

The legislation will also:

* Provide a more structured approach to hearsay evidence, with rules allowing hearsay evidence to be admitted in some cases;
* Create a specific exception to the hearsay rule to allow for evidence to be given of the existence or content of traditional laws and customs of an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander group; and
* Extend the courts' discretion to excuse a married person from testifying against their partner to de facto partners, including same sex partners.