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Meeting of Attorneys-General

About the Meeting of Attorneys-General

In 2020, there was a Ministerial Review into former Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Councils and Forums including the Council of Attorneys-General (CAG). National Cabinet endorsed the review’s recommendations for CAG to become a time-limited body and convene only when needed to progress up to 3 items of national priority, with specified sun-setting timeframes of no longer than 12 months.

The new body, known as the Meeting of Attorneys-General (MAG), comprises Attorneys-General from the Australian Government, all states and territories, and the New Zealand Minister for Justice. Its purpose is to implement a national and trans-Tasman focus on maintaining and promoting best practice in law reform.

In 2021, the MAG agenda will consist of 3 national priorities:

  • Family Violence – National Information Sharing Framework
  • Protecting Older Australians – National Register of Enduring Powers of Attorney, and
  • Model Defamation Reform.

For more information on the review into former COAG Councils and Forums, visit the Effective Commonwealth-State Relations page of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet website.

An Extraordinary Meeting of Attorneys-General was held on Wednesday 9 June 2021 via video conference.

Contacting the Meeting of Attorneys-General

Correspondence can be sent to MAGSecretariat@ag.gov.au or:

Meeting of Attorneys-General (MAG)
3-5 National Circuit
BARTON ACT 2600

Communiqués

The Meeting of Attorneys-General convenes annually. Meeting communiqués are available below:

The Council of Attorneys-General met up to twice a year, including a joint meeting with the Ministerial Council for Police and Emergency Management. Meeting communiqués are available below:

Contact details

MAGSecretariat@ag.gov.au 
3-5 National Circuit, BARTON ACT 2600

Related websites

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet