Australia: The Privilege Against Self‐incrimination in Australian Civil Proceedings — The Decision in Reid v Howard

Courts around the world have, in recent years, spent much time and effort in trying to solve the problem of the privilege against self‐incrimination in civil proceedings. In Reid v Howard , the High Court decided that, in Australia at least, this was time and effort wasted and that only legislators can address the problem. The judgments are notable for their brevity and clarity, but to appreciate this, it is necessary to understand the complex nature of the problem.