The purpose of this briefing paper is to review the arguments for and against the
introduction of majority jury verdicts and to include a commentary on other comparable
jurisdictions. The New South Wales Law Reform Commission supported the requirement for unanimous verdicts in criminal cases in 1986, this principle of unanimity being upheld by the High Court in Cheatle v R. On the other hand, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western
Australia and the Northern Territory have all opted for majority verdicts.
