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To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: 09/11/00 02:07
Subject: Message and a posting
Hi John
For those interested in the progress of this issue in other
jurisdictions, this press release was put out by the Queensland
Government on 9 October. You could probably find the bill at
www.legislation.qld.gov.au - it will certainly be there when it is
enacted as all Queensland legislation is available on-line.
Fiona McNee
E-TRANSACTIONS BILL ESTABLISHES LEGALITY OF E-CONTRACTS
The validity of electronically-transacted business, including contracts
and the electronic delivery of government services, will be confirmed
by a Bill presented for its second reading in Parliament today,
Attorney-General Matt Foley said.
Mr. Foley said "Electronic commerce is now critical to the delivery of
all government and private sector services. This Electronic
Transactions (Queensland) Bill 2000 provides a sound legal
infrastructure upon which electronic commerce can flourish in this
State."
"The Bill is designed to ensure that transactions, including contracts,
are not invalid simply because they were undertaken by electronic
means," he said.
"It is intended that the Act will provide a framework, at the State
level, which will:
· Facilitate the use of electronic transactions
· Promote business and community confidence in the use of electronic
transactions
· Enable business and the community to use electronic communications in
their dealings with government."
"In October 1998, all Attorneys-General at a meeting of the Standing
Committee of Attorneys-General (SCAG) agreed in principle to the
Commonwealth's proposal for a national uniform legislative regime and
to enact model electronic commerce legislation based on the
recommendations of the Electonic Commerce Expert Group and relevant
articles of the United Nations commission on International Trade Law
(UNCITRAL) Model Law on Electronic Commerce."
The Commonwealth's Electronic transactions Act 1999 commenced on 15
March 2000. The Bill to be adopted by Queensland is almost identical to
New South Wales and Victorian legislation, but has certain specific
differences.
"This Bill establishes for the first time the general rule that the law
does not discriminate between different forms of technology and treats
paper-based commerce and electronic commerce as equal."
"It recognises that a person can legally enter into contracts
electronically and also facilitates a change in how governments deliver
their public services." Mr. Foley said.
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