The Victorian government will bring its laws up-to-date with new forms of exploitation and abuse of children and young people that are associated with communications technologies.
Few in Australia understand the context and true meaning of customary law. Denials of its validity are often based on ignorance or on specific examples devoid of context.
Sex workers in South Africa are all potential criminals due to the country’s regressive laws. But their status may change soon, making South Africa the first African country to decriminalise sex work.
South Africa’s Constitution enjoins government to act “reasonably” in ensuring that basic socioeconomic rights are progressively realised. But the government has limited resources.
It isn’t just the ‘bad guys’ who are exposed to restrictive powers and tougher penalties. Anyone whose behaviour is regarded as a public safety risk is potentially in the frame.
The royal commission’s recommendations seek a complete transformation of Victorian family violence services, and the state’s prevention of and response to family violence.
The Australian Law Reform Commission has given George Brandis a report that does all that it reasonably could, while falling well short of what it was asked to do.
Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia have introduced restrictive “consorting” laws. But are the laws justified? Are they an efficient and effective way to combat organised crime?
In a world first, Victoria plans to retrospectively open the records of formerly anonymous sperm donors to all donor-conceived people. A system of contact vetoes aims to manage the privacy concerns.
At a time when Australia is discussing the adequacy of legal responses to domestic violence, decisions that serve to lessen the culpability of men’s violence against women are undoubtedly concerning.
Despite the many people with mental illness who go to prison, successful defences of mental impairment are rare. But this is not a ‘get out of jail free’ card and should be more accessible.
The Commonwealth plans to legalise local production of cannabis for medical and research purposes; as do Victoria and NSW. But what laws need to change for all of this to work?
The federal government has to be on the back foot after a Law Reform Commission report identified that It has been the champion of many rights-limiting laws.