Re: [VIC] When are the new trains comming

[Chris Brownbill <cbrnbill@enternet.com.au>]

David Bromage wrote:
> 
> Chris Brownbill (cbrnbill@enternet.com.au) won a Nobel Prize for literature by writing:
> > I believe you are correct - But don't be misled into believing that it will
> > therefore happen.   Contracts can be modified - particularly where changes of
> > government are concerned.
> 
> Do void ab initio clauses apply to governments? The government signs a
> contract on behalf of the Crown, and the Crown itself doesn't change
> (although the person wearing it does). This is why the King James Bible is
> still under copyright after several centuries.
> 
> Cheers
> David

I'm no lawyer, but I'd say that a contract with the crown is legally unaffected
by a change of government.  My contention is that a new government may be
tempted to do a deal with a contractor to amend contract conditions to suit the
policies of the new government.  Naturally, contractors know where their bread
is buttered, so its unlikely they would play funny buggers to block such moves
as long as they were no worse off financially.