691   Annual report of Commissioner

(1)  As soon as practicable after 30 June (but before 31 December) in each year, the Commissioner is to prepare and forward to the Attorney General a report on his or her activities for the 12 months ending on 30 June in that year.

(2)  The Attorney General is to lay the report or cause it to be laid before both Houses of Parliament as soon as practicable after receiving the report.

(3)  The Commissioner is to include the following information in the annual report:

(a)  the number and type of complaints made during the year (including the number and type made by the Commissioner and the number and type made by each Council),

(b)  the sources of those complaints,

(c)  the number of consumer disputes referred to mediation during the year and the results of mediation,

(d)  the number and type of complaints investigated during the year by each Council, the Commissioner and an independent investigator under section 532,

(e)  the number and type of complaints dismissed during the year by each Council and by the Commissioner,

(f)  the number and type of complaints in respect of which an Australian lawyer was reprimanded or cautioned during the year by each Council and by the Commissioner,

(g)  the number and type of complaints in respect of which proceedings were instituted in the Tribunal during the year by each Council and by the Commissioner,

(h)  the number of matters referred to mediation under section 336 or Part 4.3 during the year and the outcome of those matters,

(i)  the number of compensation orders made under Part 4.9 during the year,

(j)  a summary of the results of proceedings in the Tribunal completed during the year,

(k)  the number of complaints not finally dealt with at the end of the year (including the number at each stage of proceedings),

(l)  the age of complaints not finally dealt with at the end of the year (that is, the number of those complaints made respectively in that year and in each previous year),

(m)  time intervals involved in the complaints process, including:

(i)  the time between the receipt of a complaint and the decision of the Commissioner or a Council under Part 4.5 in respect of the complaint, and

(ii)  the time between the receipt of a complaint and the decision of the Commissioner on completion of a review under Part 4.6,

(n)  information about any review of a legal profession rule requested by the Commissioner during the year under this Act,

(o)  information on the operation of the complaints process during the year and any recommendations for legislative or other improvements to the complaints process,

(p)  information about the costs incurred by the Commissioner during the year, certified by the Auditor-General,

(q)  such other information as the Commissioner considers appropriate to be included or as the Attorney General directs to be included.

(4)  The Commissioner may include in the annual report a report on the exercise of functions by the Commissioner referred to in section 688 (1) (j), (k) and (l).

(5)  Matters included in a report must not identify individual clients, Australian lawyers or Australian-registered foreign lawyers unless their names have already lawfully been made public under Part 4.10 (Publishing disciplinary action).