|
On 15 February 2008 about 50 stakeholder representatives and industry participants met in Canberra to advance the definition of the National Electronic Conveyancing System (NECS). The agenda for the day, the discussion paper provided to attendees in advance and a report on the outcomes of the meeting can be found on our website.
Among the attendees committed to the realisation of NECS were representatives of the major banks, building societies, law societies, conveyancers, land registries, government agencies, information brokers and other conveyancing industry service providers with an interest in NECS and its potential for necessary and valuable microeconomic reform in Australia.
The meeting was addressed by representatives of the Australian Bankers’ Association on behalf of financial institutions and the Law Council of Australia on behalf of legal practitioners. The representatives of these peak bodies re-inforced the need for NECS to be a single national system capable of meeting the needs of conveyancing practitioners in all States and Territories and for all stakeholders to be actively involved in determining the final arrangements for NECS.
The meeting followed a decision last November by the National Steering Committee of industry and jurisdiction representatives to establish a National Project Team (NPT). The NPT is to be made up of industry and government specialists who can advise on the key features and functions of NECS and its supporting business practices.
At the meeting a general consensus was reached on the size of the team, what stakeholder groups should be represented, how the team should operate and what its immediate priorities should be. The National Office is to play a key role in supporting the team’s work.
The stakeholder groups to be represented on the team are currently nominating their members and, after a preliminary meeting to sort out the team’s charter and immediate work program, the National Steering Committee will be asked to confirm the arrangements in the near future.
Each of the members of the team will be encouraged to establish forums and networks of others in their industry sector interested in contributing to the detailed design of NECS. The representative of the State and Territory land registries will work closely with the existing State Project Teams in bringing forward detailed advice and recommendations for consideration by all the representatives on the team. In this way, the detail of NECS and its business practices ultimately endorsed by the National Steering Committee will be fully supported by all key stakeholder groups.
The team is expected to start work early in May on confirming and further detailing the definition of NECS and its supporting business practices.
The co-operative creation of the National Project Team and the widespread support for the national process evident at the open meeting of stakeholders earlier this month marks another important milestone for NECS.
|