Professions Australia - A national organisation of professional associations

<body bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000"> <br><a href = "thecouncil.html">About Professions Australia</a><br> <a href = "branches.html">Branches & NSWCOP</a><br> <a href = "policymaterial.html">Policy Material</a><br> <a href = "knowledgenetwork.html">Knowledge Network</a><br> <a href = "alertsandnews.html">Alerts and Newsletters</a><br> <a href = "membership.html">Membership Information</a><br> <a href = "office.html">Office & Contacts</a><br> <a href = "sitesearch.html">Search</a><br> <a href = "Memberlogin.html">Member Login</a><br> <a href = "memberlogout.html">Logout</a><br> <a href = "Homepage.html">Home</a><br> <a href = "Constitution.html">Constitution</a><br> <a href = "YoungProf.html">Young Professionals</a><br> <a href = "ethicsresource.html">Ethics Resource Centre</a><br> <a href = "history.html">History</a><br> <a href = "visionrole.html">Vision and Role</a><br> <a href = "Board.html">Board</a><br> <a href = "committees.html">Committees</a><br> <a href = "mediaspeeches.html">Media, Speeches</a><br> <a href = "award.html">Professional of the Year Award</a><br> <a href = "archives.html">Archives</a><br> <a href = "NSWCOP.html">NSWCOP</a><br> <a href = "victoria.html">Victoria</a><br> <a href = "Queensland.html">Queensland</a><br> <a href = "wa.html">Western Australia</a><br> <a href = "sa.html">South Australia</a><br> <a href = "tasmania.html">Tasmania</a><br> <a href = "act.html">ACT</a><br> <a href = "competitionpolicy.html">Competition Policy</a><br> <a href = "insurance.html">Insurance</a><br> <a href = "highereducation.html">Higher Education</a><br> <a href = "other.html">Other</a><br> <a href = "knetsample.html">Knowledge Base Sample</a><br> <a href = "kbase.html">Knowledge Base</a><br> <a href = "kpeople.html">Knowledge People</a><br> <a href = "ktalk.html">Knowledge Talk</a><br> <a href = "submitkbase.html">Submit to Knowledge Base</a><br> <a href = "submitkpeople.html">Submit to Knowledge People</a><br> <a href = "alertssample.html">Alerts and News Sample</a><br> <a href = "alerts.html">Alerts</a><br> <a href = "newsletters.html">Newsletters</a><br> <a href = "subscription.html">Alerts and News Subscription</a><br> <a href = "criteria.html">Criteria</a><br> <a href = "Rates.html">Membership Rates</a><br> <a href = "member.html">Member Associations</a><br> <a href = "KBManual.html">Knowledge Base Manual</a><br> <a href = "defineprofession.html">Definition of a Profession</a><br> <a href = "KBWP.html">Knowledge Base White Papers</a><br> <a href = "ValueStatement.html">Value Statement</a><br> <a href = "Apply.html">Apply to join</a><br> <a href = "Constitutioncontinue.html">Constitution continued</a><br> <a href = "ParticReportsNov2003.html">Participant reports Roundtable Nov 2003</a><br> <a href = "latestnewsletter.html">Latest Newsletter</a><br> <a href = "bankruptcy.html">Bankruptcy legislation</a><br> <a href = "whatsnew.html">What's New</a><br> <a href = "ethicsplan.html">Ethics Action Plan</a><br> <a href = "definitionprofession.html">Definition of a Profession</a><br> <a href = "ethicscodes.html">Codes of Ethics</a><br> <a href = "ethicseducation.html">Ethics Education</a><br> <a href = "ethicsforum.html">Ethics Forum</a><br> <a href = "relatedsites.html">Related Sites</a><br> <a href = "ethicsreading.html">Reading</a><br> <a href = "ethicscasestudies.html">Ethics Case Studies</a><br> <a href = "ethicsresearch.html">Ethics Research</a><br> <a href = "CPSS.html">Competition Policy Submission (1998)</a><br> <a href = "SERC.html">Submission to Economics References Committee (May 2002)</a><br> <a href = "SSWSTTTR.html">Structured Settlements - Why support them through tax reform (May 2001)</a><br> <a href = "STTRLN.html">Submission to the Review of the Law of Negligence (August 2002)</a><br> <a href = "MRPWBI.html">Media Release: Professions want broader indemnity agenda (June 2002)</a><br> <a href = "PORM.html">Policy on Risk Management (November 1997)</a><br> <a href = "PR2001.html">AGM 2001 Presidents Address</a><br> <a href = "AFGFA.html">Professional Liability - A fair go for all - 1998</a><br> <a href = "TPPIAC.html">The Professions, Public Interest and Competition Policy (2000)</a><br> <a href = "APSUT.html">Australia's Professional Services under threat 1997</a><br> <a href = "NCPP.html">National Competition policy & the professions 1997</a><br> <a href = "DWRME.html">Dealing with risk. Managing expectations 1996</a><br> <a href = "GM2002.html">GM 2002 Presidents Speech</a><br> <a href = "AGM2002.html">AGM 2002 Presidents Address</a><br> <a href = "MediaRelease25Nov.html">Ipp Media Release</a><br> <a href = "MediaReleaseNov02.html">Professional Indemnity Insurance Crisis - media Release</a><br> <a href = "AGM1999.html">AGM President Address 1999</a><br> <a href = "SCAGMINCO.html">Submission to SCAG-MINCO 9 Dec 2002</a><br> <a href = "JCCV.html">John Castles CV</a><br> <a href = "BGCV.html">Barry Grear CV</a><br> <a href = "DTCV.html">David Thomson CV</a><br> <a href = "VICletter.html">Victorian market failure in Professional Indemnity insurance</a><br> <a href = "CVSTP.html">Coonan's view a shock to professionals</a><br> <a href = "PBULC.html">Peak body urges liability cap</a><br> <a href = "LDRA.html">Liability decision rouses anger</a><br> <a href = "PLNHG.html">Proportionate liability is not Holy Grail</a><br> <a href = "GPAS.html">Government position appears to be shifting</a><br> <a href = "pumta.html">Professions urge ministers to act now</a><br> <a href = "tpauc.html">TPA 'undermines capping'</a><br> <a href = "mtstmt.html">Market 'too small and too much trouble'</a><br> <a href = "pimfnps.html">PI market failure needs a package solution</a><br> <a href = "cfncoll.html">Call for national cap on lawyers' liability</a><br> <a href = "POPSR.html">Policy on Professional Self-Regulation (1990)</a><br> <a href = "RDEWL.html">Role and Duties of an Expert Witness in Litigation (1998)</a><br> <a href = "107.html">Alert No 107 (29 May 03)</a><br> <a href = "1071.html">Alert No 107 Attach 0ne</a><br> <a href = "1072.html">Alert No 107 Attach Two</a><br> <a href = "1073.html">Alert No 107 Attach three- Implementation paper</a><br> <a href = "1074.html">Alert No 107 Attach Four</a><br> <a href = "Treasurer.html">Paul Meiklejohn</a><br> <a href = "Boardmemberone.html">Monica Persson</a><br> <a href = "nswcopcontacts.html">Contacts</a><br> <a href = "nswcopobjectives.html">Objectives</a><br> <a href = "nswcoppsl.html">Professional Standards Legislation</a><br> <a href = "nswcopevents.html">Events</a><br> <a href = "nswcopnletters.html">NSWCOP Newsletters</a><br> <a href = "SeptHigherEd.html">Nelson reforms miss the main point, say professions</a><br> <a href = "PSCJune03Seminar.html">NSW PSC June Seminar</a><br> <a href = "VicCPAJuly03Seminar.html">Vic CPA professional indemnity seminar, 28 July 2003</a><br> <a href = "BrisbaneHandPI.html">John Hand Brisbane PI Paper, 30 July 2003</a><br> <a href = "ICAABrisbanePaper.html">Brisbane ICAA PI paper</a><br> <a href = "PolCampaignsArticle.html">Professions Australia learns lessons on political campaigns</a><br> <a href = "AnaGovan.html">Ana Govan (information technology)</a><br> <a href = "BrigetteHall.html">Brigette Hall (minerals)</a><br> <a href = "NikkiBrennan.html">Nikki Brennan (architecture)</a><br> <a href = "NinaQuinn.html">Nina Quinn (audiology)</a><br> <a href = "LukeFraser.html">Luke Fraser (construction)</a><br> <a href = "PhilippaThomson.html">Philippa Thomson (dentistry)</a><br> <a href = "KateWest.html">Kate West (engineering)</a><br> <a href = "profcomppublic.html">Professionalism, competition policy and the public interest: Issues paper (2003)</a><br> <a href = "SenateTPAbriefing.html">Senate TPA inquiry briefing notes March 2004</a><br> <a href = "ICActReview.html">Insurance Contracts Act review key documents</a><br> <a href = "ACCCinsurancereviews.html">ACCC insurance market pricing reviews</a><br> <a href = "SenatorCoonanwebsite.html">Senator Coonan website</a><br> <a href = "InsuranceCouncil.html">Insurance Council website</a><br> <a href = "CoonanJuly2003letter.html">Letter to Coonan on timing July 2003</a><br> <a href = "MinletterMar2004.html">Letter to Ministers on timing March 2004</a><br> <a href = "MinContOutMar2004ltr.html">Letter to Ministers against contracting out (March 2004)</a><br> <a href = "12March2004update.html">Update 12 March 2004</a><br> <a href = "TPAPSLinquiry.html">Senate Committee inquiry into Trade Practices Act amendments</a><br> <a href = "AGM2003Pres.html">AGM 2003 Presidents Address</a><br> <a href = "OMNov2003Pres.html">Ordinary Meeting November 2003 Presidents Address</a><br> <a href = "HobartMediaFeb2004.html">Comments on Hobart Insurance Ministers meeting Feb 2004</a><br> <a href = "Feb2004PISurveys.html">February 2004 professional indemnity surveys</a><br> <a href = "HigherEdltrs25Sep03.html">Higher Education letters 25 Sep 2003</a><br> <a href = "HigherEdmed8Oct2003.html">Higher Ed media 8 October 2003</a><br> <a href = "HigherEdltr6Nov03.html">Higher Ed letter 6 Nov 2003</a><br> <a href = "HigherEdltrs26Nov03.html">Higher Ed letters 26 Nov 2003</a><br> <a href = "HigherEdltr30Sep03.html">Higher Ed letter 30 September 03</a><br> <a href = "HigherEdAFR13Oct03.html">Higher Education AFR Op Ed piece 13 October 03</a><br> <a href = "pasub.html">National Competition Policy Review - PA Submission (2004)</a><br> <a href = "profoftheyear.html">Announcement of 2004 Professional of the Year</a><br> <a href = "membercodes.html">Examples of Member Codes</a><br> <a href = "codeprinciples.html">Code Principles</a><br> <br><B>Role and Duties of an Expert Witness in Litigation</B> <BLOCKQUOTE ALIGN="CENTER">A member, when called upon to act as an expert witness, shall conduct her/himself in accordance with the 'Role and Duties of the Expert Witness' set out by the Australian Council of Professions, which states: </BLOCKQUOTE> <OL> <OL> <LI>The role of the expert witness in litigation is to assist the court in the administration of justice by providing an opinion or factual information based on the expert's competence in a subject which is outside the knowledge, skill or experience of most people. It is founded in the need for a court charged with the resolution of a matter for access to knowledge relevant to the matter which it does not possess of itself. </LI> <LI>It follows that the opinion is only useful if it is based on the expert's area of competence, includes all relevant matters and is impartial and dispassionate. Thus the primary duty of an expert is to the court because of his or her role in the process as defined above. An expert is subject to the normal duty in respect of evidence of fact to be complete, accurate and truthful. </LI> <LI>The expert owes a second duty to the body of knowledge and understanding from which his or her expertise is drawn. This implies recognition of its limitations and the humility which should flow from such recognition, since the outcome of litigation is likely to influence the practical application of such knowledge and understanding in the future. It also implies dealing with the opinions of other competent experts in a respectful manner. It is important to the overall process that the integrity of the processes by which knowledge is acquired and understanding developed should not be degraded. Thus the secondary duty of the expert witness is to the body of knowledge and understanding. </LI> <LI>The expert witness owes a third duty to the party which has sought his or her advice. That duty is to provide the advice in the context of the first and second duties above, which implies that the expert should not be an advocate for a party. This is a tertiary duty. </LI> <OL></OL> <OL></OL></OL></OL><B><I> <BLOCKQUOTE ALIGN="CENTER">[Adopted, Annual General Meeting, 25 May 1998] </BLOCKQUOTE></B></I></B></I> <P align=center> <CENTER> <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width=156 border=0> <TR> <TD vAlign=center> </TD></TR></TABLE></CENTER> <P align=center></P> <P> </P> </body>