Australian liability reform

In the face of insurer-opposition the Australian government has made a U-turn in its attempts to reform the liability regime, calling for ‘mirror legislation’ between the seven states and two territories despite their differing legal jurisdictions. The need for some drastic action is clear both from the A$500mn underwriting loss suffered in the public liability sector in 2001 and the demise of United Medical Protection (UMP), Australia’s largest medical indemnity insurer, in May.