News
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Calls for law reform to fix two-tier system of justice for survivors of institutional child sexual abuse
13th Nov 2024Lawyers representing survivors of institutional child sexual abuse are calling on governments across Australia to reform the law to ensure equal justice for all survivors of institutional abuse, following the High Court decision in Bird v DP (a pseudonym) [2024] HCA 41 handed down today.
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High Court ruling on former detainee restrictions is welcome
7th Nov 2024The High Court ruling today that forcing former immigration detainees to wear ankle bracelets and live under curfews is unconstitutional has been welcomed by the Australian Lawyers Alliance.
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Swift WA govt action restored rights for workers
5th Nov 2024The swift action taken recently by the WA State Government to pass legislation to ensure that injured workers did not lose their right to compensation has been commended by WA lawyers.
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VIC medicinal cannabis driving law amendment overdue but welcome
1st Nov 2024The Victorian Government’s decision to amend the law to stop the automatic cancellation of a driver’s license if medicinal cannabis is found in their system is long overdue and welcome, say lawyers.
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NSW Govt must enforce both private and company e-scooter owner insurance
30th Oct 2024The NSW Government has been urged to mandate that private owners of any e-mobility device have insurance, including third-party insurance, and that e-scooter programs run by local councils in NSW are conducted only by companies which offer adequate insurance for hirers.
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Queensland barrister wins national ALA Member of the Year
18th Oct 2024A Queensland barrister who gives his time and expertise generously to support and develop other members of the legal profession, Mr Gerard (Gerry) Mullins KC, has received the Australian Lawyers Alliance’s 2024 Member of the Year Award.
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ACT solicitor wins national ALA Member of the Year
18th Oct 2024An ACT solicitor who gives her time and expertise generously to support the plaintiff legal community in the ACT, Ms Amy Burr, has received the Australian Lawyers Alliance’s 2024 national Member of the Year Award.
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WA barrister wins national Civil Justice Award
18th Oct 2024A West Australian barrister who is a committed and effective advocate for people who have suffered injury and abuse has won a national award for justice.
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LNP urged to commit to retaining rights for road trauma victims in lead up to election
4th Oct 2024Lawyers representing people who have been seriously injured on the road in Queensland are calling on the Liberal National Party of Queensland (LNP) to commit to retaining the state’s current CTP scheme.
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Police independence at risk from political pressure to restrict right to protest
3rd Oct 2024The intense political and media pressure being applied to police in New South Wales and Victoria to restrict or stop Palestinian protest and vigil activity this weekend is not acceptable in a democracy, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance.
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Plan to prevent insurance discrimination based on genetic testing is welcome
12th Sep 2024The Federal Government’s announcement that it will prevent insurers being able to discriminate based on adverse predictive genetic test results is welcome, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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ACT Call-to-Parties: Lawyers call for commitment to justice for victims of road accidents, negligence & abuse
11th Sep 2024In the lead up to next month’s ACT election, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has launched its ‘Call-to-Parties’ urging politicians to improve access to justice for all Territorians.
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Aviation White Paper is a missed opportunity to secure important rights for passengers
26th Aug 2024The Aviation White Paper released today is a missed opportunity to bring Australian passenger rights in line with other countries internationally, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance.
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Proposed Lawyer X legislation removes common law rights
13th Aug 2024Lawyers from the Australian Lawyers Alliance in Victoria are deeply concerned that the state is unilaterally removing common law rights by introducing laws blocking anyone seeking to sue Victoria Police in relation to Lawyer X.
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Vic Government must stick to commitment to raise the age of criminal responsibility
12th Aug 2024A softening of the Victorian government’s commitment to raising the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 14 is a disappointing and ineffective way to respond to youth crime concerns, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) in Victoria.
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Qld Call-to-Parties: Lawyers call for commitment to justice for victims of negligence & abuse
8th Aug 2024In the lead up to the state election, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has launched its Queensland ‘Call-to-Parties’ urging politicians to improve access to justice for all Queenslanders.
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National law firm director named new Australian Lawyers Alliance national president
16th Jul 2024The new national president of the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) is Maurice Blackburn director, Michelle James.
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Lawyers call on election candidates to commit to justice and fairness for all Territorians
15th Jul 2024The upcoming Northern Territory election presents a real opportunity for all sides of politics to commit to a fairer and more just territory, say local lawyers.
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SQ321 passengers may never receive compensation for psychological injury
14th Jun 2024Despite Singapore Airlines’ recent compensation offer, passengers who have been traumatised by their experience of severe turbulence on flight SQ321 might never be compensated for their psychological scars, say lawyers calling for law reform in Australia.
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Government urged to implement recommendations of human rights inquiry
30th May 2024The federal parliamentary inquiry’s recommendation that Australia should adopt its first ever federal Human Rights Act is welcomed by the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Calls for birth trauma injuries to be addressed across Australia
29th May 2024All Australian states and territories should fund the resources needed to better address the risks and consequences of birth trauma, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance, following the NSW Select Committee on Birth Trauma releasing its recommendations today.
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Law reform to decriminalise begging in Tasmania is well overdue
20th May 2024The Tasmanian Greens will introduce their bill to decriminalise begging in parliament this week and this law reform is well overdue, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Qld Govt should lead the way on workers comp with equal rights for gig workers
20th May 2024The Queensland Government should lead the way nationally and extend workers’ compensation rights to gig workers, the Australian Lawyers Alliance told a government committee today at the hearing for the inquiry into the Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024.
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NFP support and advocacy group – Flat Out – receives Victorian Civil Justice Award
17th May 2024A Victorian advocacy group that supports women, trans and gender diverse people to get out and stay out of prison has received the Australian Lawyers Alliance’s (ALA) 2024 Victorian Civil Justice Award.
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Calls for Qld Govt to lead the way on workers comp for gig industry
14th May 2024The Queensland Government should lead the way nationally and extend workers’ compensation rights to gig workers to ensure that workers and their families in Queensland are protected, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Response to High Court decision re ASF17
10th May 2024The High Court decision today in regard to the man known by the pseudonym ASF17 means the Commonwealth government must look at finding safe third countries to resettle immigration detainees such as ASF17.
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Lawyers welcome TLRI recommendation for laws to protect human rights in Tasmania
30th Apr 2024The recommendations made in the Tasmania Law Reform Institute’s research paper on human rights released today have been welcomed by local lawyers.
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Federal migration bill must be abandoned
17th Apr 2024The Federal Government should abandon the Migration Amendment (Removal and Other Measures) Bill 2024 which punishes and criminalises people who are seeking protection in Australia.
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Criminal record should not mean access to NDIS denied
9th Apr 2024Access to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) should not be used as a means of ongoing punishment of people who have a criminal record, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Migration bill is cruel and must be amended
27th Mar 2024Time for proper scrutiny of the Migration Amendment (Removal and Other Measures) Bill 2024 is a positive outcome, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance, but the legislation is deeply flawed and must not pass in its current form.
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Gig workers need workers’ comp rights: urgent need for law reform
26th Mar 2024Urgent action is required now from the Queensland Government to respond to the changing nature of the workforce and to extend workers’ compensation rights to gig workers, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Reversal of youth bail law plans in Victoria will cause harm
20th Mar 2024The Victorian government’s announcement that it will not go ahead with plans to implement a presumption of bail for children will cause harm to young people and will not reduce crime, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Lawyers call on election candidates to commit to justice and integrity
8th Mar 2024The upcoming state election presents a real opportunity for all sides of politics to commit to a fairer and more just Tasmania, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Injured motorists will pay the price of proposed WA law changes
22nd Feb 2024Proposed new state laws will cut compensation to West Australians injured in a motor vehicle accident, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance.
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Papalia criticisms of judicial decision: an attack on the rule of law
19th Feb 2024The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has noted with some concern the recent public comments of the Western Australian Corrective Services Minister, Paul Papalia, with respect to decisions made by the independent judiciary.
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More Tasers for Vic Police and PSOs very concerning
16th Feb 2024The announcement this week that some ten thousand more frontline police and protective services officers (PSOs) in Victoria will be equipped with Tasers is very concerning, according to a coalition of Victorian legal and community services groups.
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Services Australia resources boost welcome but overdue
16th Feb 2024The 3000 extra staff appointed recently at Services Australia are welcome and should provide much needed support to this critical service provider, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Qld charity founder wins award for work supporting domestic violence survivors
16th Feb 2024The founder of Queensland-based charity, Friends with Dignity, Manuela Whitford was today presented with the Australian Lawyers Alliance’s (ALA) Queensland Civil Justice Award recognising her work to assist survivors of domestic violence.
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Proposed SA sentencing laws for sex offences will result in injustice
24th Jan 2024The South Australian government’s draconian new laws on sentencing for sex offences, developed without consultation with the legal community, will result in injustice, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance.
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Lawyers Alliance calls on VIC Government to support drug checking services
8th Jan 2024Following the news that several people are critically ill after drug use at the Hardmission Festival on the weekend, lawyers are urging the Victorian Government to introduce drug checking services to help keep people safe.
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International Human Rights Day: reminder of urgent need for reform in Australia
6th Dec 2023International Human Rights Day this weekend is a reminder that Australia is the only Western democracy without a federal human rights act, bill of rights or charter.
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Govt urged to adopt recommendations of institutional child abuse inquiry
6th Dec 2023The West Australian government should give urgent and serious consideration to the recommendations made in the ‘Seeking justice: Improving options for survivors of institutional child abuse’ report released on Thursday, say lawyers for survivors of abuse.
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Call for Passenger Bill of Rights to be included in Aviation White Paper
29th Nov 2023The Australian Government should create new aviation-specific consumer protection laws in the form of a Passenger Bill of Rights, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance in its submission to the Aviation White Paper which will set the policy direction for the aviation sector out to 2050.
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Victorian cannabis legalisation is welcome next step
22nd Nov 2023Legalising the adult recreational use of cannabis in Victoria is the logical next step in drug policy reform and is supported by evidence globally.
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Proposed anti-bikie laws infringe too far on rights and freedoms
16th Nov 2023Proposed new powers which will allow police to prevent convicted criminals from associating in Victoria go too far and will unfairly restrict individual’s rights to freedom of association and political expression.
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Proposed response to High Court decision imposes harsh conditions on refugees
16th Nov 2023Proposed legislation created to respond to the High Court’s ruling that indefinite immigration is unlawful will unfairly and harshly punish refugees, many of whom have already spent years in detention.
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High Court decision may lead to redress for falsely imprisoned refugees
10th Nov 2023Following the High Court decision this week, compensation for false imprisonment is now possible for refugees who have been detained indefinitely because they do not have a visa but have no prospect of removal to another country.
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Lawyers call for e-scooter safety and insurance reform
9th Nov 2023E-scooters are an increasingly popular form of transport but can currently fall through the gaps in regulatory and insurance systems, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.
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WorkCover cuts strip too many rights from injured workers
2nd Nov 2023Proposed revisions to the workers’ compensation scheme in Victoria will strip too many rights from injured workers, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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GLJ High Court decision may lead to fairer outcomes for abuse survivors
1st Nov 2023Fair compensation for survivors of historical child sexual abuse is more likely following the decision handed down today by the High Court of Australia in the case of GLJ v the Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church for the Diocese of Lismore.
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Lawyers welcome Greens’ move to decriminalise begging in Tasmania
26th Oct 2023The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has welcomed the announcement from the Tasmanian Greens that they will table a Bill to decriminalise begging in Parliament next week.
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Voice referendum result: statement from the ALA
26th Oct 2023The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) acknowledges the grief felt by many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the aftermath of the Voice referendum, which failed to achieve majority support from voters across Australia.
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WA barrister wins ALA Member of the Year
24th Oct 2023A WA barrister who led the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Graham Droppert SC, has received the organisation’s 2023 Member of the Year Award.
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Victorian barrister wins ALA Member of the Year
24th Oct 2023A Victorian barrister who regularly acts for plaintiffs in prison and police tort matters, Ms Stella Gold, has received the Australian Lawyers Alliance’s 2023 Member of the Year Award.
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Qld women win national award recognising commitment to seeking justice for Robodebt
20th Oct 2023Two Queensland women have been recognised for their determined fight for accountability and transparency around the unlawful Robodebt scheme. Ms Kathleen Madgwick and Ms Jennifer Miller have been awarded the Australian Lawyers Alliance’s (ALA) national Civil Justice Award for 2023.
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Prosecution should be paused while medicinal cannabis driving trial is underway
17th Oct 2023While the impact of medicinal cannabis on motorists is being trialled in Victoria, police should not prosecute people who drive after taking prescribed cannabis if there is no evidence their driving is impaired, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Proposed NSW drug diversion program is a small step in the right direction but it is not enough
10th Oct 2023Legislation to introduce a pre-court diversion scheme for people caught in possession of small amounts of illicit substances is a small step in the right direction, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Allies for Uluru call on Australians to vote ‘Yes’ in Voice Referendum
9th Oct 2023A cross-sector collaboration calls on all Australians to walk together for a better future.
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Commission of Inquiry report welcome but proposed Pontville site for detention centre is ‘appalling’
26th Sep 2023The Australian Lawyers Alliance welcomes many of the recommendations in the report released today from the Commission of Inquiry into the Tasmanian Government’s responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings, but strongly objects to the Government’s plan to develop a youth detention centre in Pontville.
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NSW budget: welcome commitment to ‘closing the gap’ initiatives
19th Sep 2023The NSW Government’s commitment to ‘closing the gap’ initiatives is a welcome inclusion in the state budget announced today, as is the focus on women and multicultural communities, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance.
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ALA joins calls for immediate closure of Ashley Youth Detention Centre
15th Sep 2023The Australian Lawyers Alliance has joined with a coalition of other organisations to urge the Tasmanian Government to immediately release all children currently detained at Ashley Youth Detention Centre to prevent further harm to their safety and wellbeing.
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Change needed to prevent delays and re-traumatisation in historical child abuse claims
15th Sep 2023Change is needed to reduce the delays and the re-traumatisation which survivors of institutional abuse often experience when accessing justice in Western Australia, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance.
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Lawyers support calls to give Victorian Charter of Human Rights ‘more bite’
11th Sep 2023The Yoorrook Justice Commission’s calls for people to be able to seek compensation for human rights abuses by taking their complaints to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) will make the state’s Charter of Human Rights more effective and powerful.
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ALA calls on Victorian Bar to take action against discriminatory behaviour
8th Sep 2023A notice posted in a Melbourne barristers’ chambers mocking the women in law awards is very disappointing and is a reminder that discriminatory conduct in the profession remains a problem, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance.
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Tighter regulation of non-surgical cosmetic procedures welcome
5th Sep 2023Lawyers welcome Ahpra’s move, announced today, to increase regulation of the non-surgical cosmetic procedures industry, and introduce new guidelines for health practitioners advertising and providing fillers, Botox injections and other aesthetic treatments.
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Welcome referendum date announcement brings Voice one step closer
30th Aug 2023Today’s announcement of a referendum date is welcome and brings us one step closer to the realisation of a Voice that guarantees the participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives in national policy and decision-making processes.
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Qld youth justice law changes: breaches govt’s obligation to put interests of children first
25th Aug 2023The changes made to Queensland’s youth justice laws yesterday which mean that children can be held in adult police watch houses indefinitely are cruel and will endanger the wellbeing of vulnerable members of the community, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Urgent action needed to fix Blue Card system and the regulation of childcare centres
15th Aug 2023Urgent action is needed to tighten both the Queensland Blue Card system and the regulation of childcare centres, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Greens federal cannabis bill will prevent court & police time being wasted on minor drug offences
10th Aug 2023Legalising the adult recreational use of cannabis in Australia makes sense, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) supporting The Greens Legalising Cannabis Bill 2023 which was introduced in Federal Parliament today.
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Extensive delays with detention centre claims continue in SA Courts
4th Aug 2023Refugees who claim they experienced mental and physical harm in South Australian detention centres continue to face extensive delays to their cases against the Federal Government and its contractors, with 60 matters listed in the Supreme Court of SA yesterday.
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Federal human rights laws will result in positive outcomes for vulnerable Australians
2nd Aug 2023A federal legislative human rights act would benefit us all but would lead to significant, positive, life-changing outcomes for some of the most vulnerable people in our community, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance.
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Digital signing of statutory declarations will make legal processes more accessible
1st Aug 2023Allowing the digital signing of statutory declarations will make it easier for more people to access essential legal processes, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Melbourne law firm partner named new Australian Lawyers Alliance national president
6th Jul 2023The new national president of the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) is Melbourne law firm partner, Shaun Marcus.
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Proposed new WA workers comp laws will severely impact the rights of injured workers
30th Jun 2023Lawyers representing injured workers say that the Workers’ Compensation and Injury Management Bill 2023 (WA) currently before Parliament is flawed, ambiguous and will reduce the rights of injured workers in Western Australia.
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QLD CTP scheme does not need fundamental change despite concerns re RACQ withdrawal
8th Jun 2023Queensland’s CTP scheme is stable, delivers fair compensation to injured people and should not be changed, despite concerns about RACQ leaving the scheme, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Folbigg case highlights need for Australian criminal case review commission
6th Jun 2023Australia needs an independent body with powers to investigate claims of wrongful conviction, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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SA anti-protest laws: unnecessary and penalties too harsh
31st May 2023Anti-protest laws that passed the South Australian Legislative Council this week are a disappointing and unnecessary attack on the rights to freedom of speech and freedom of assembly, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Govt urged to implement recommendations allowing equal access to jury duty
22nd May 2023Proposed law reform to ensure people who are deaf or blind can participate in juries in Victoria is welcome.
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New WorkCover restrictions 'troubling'
19th May 2023The sustainability of Victoria’s WorkCover scheme is critical but new restrictions on worker eligibility announced today are concerning, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Federal budget supports many important initiatives but legal assistance funding missing
10th May 2023Essential legal assistance funding was missing from a federal budget that did deliver welcome funding for key Government initiatives including the revised administrative review body, the National Anti-Corruption Commission and a new Aged Care Act
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Award recognises Aunty Donna’s fight for accountability for daughter’s death in custody
5th May 2023Dja Dja Wurrung, Yorta Yorta and Gunditjmara woman Aunty Donna Nelson was today presented with the Australian Lawyers Alliance’s (ALA) 2023 Victoria Civil Justice Award recognising her determination to hold organisations to account for her daughter’s death in custody.
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Pay day super payments needed to help ensure workers don’t miss out on insurance
20th Apr 2023Pay day superannuation payments are needed to help protect workers’ insurance coverage, but lawyers urge the Government to ensure compensation for lost insurance is also considered in current reforms.
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New cosmetic surgery advertising guidelines must be proactively enforced to be effective
3rd Apr 2023New advertising guidelines specific to cosmetic surgery released today by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) are welcome but will only work if they are proactively enforced, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Jailing your way out of crime does not work: ALA
30th Mar 2023The bail law reforms that passed parliament in the Northern Territory yesterday will not work to reduce crime, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Progress towards Voice referendum welcome
24th Mar 2023Yesterday’s announcement of the wording for the proposed constitutional amendment to enshrine an Aboriginal Voice to Parliament is very welcome progress towards this important referendum.
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Review of human rights framework welcome
24th Mar 2023Federal Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus KC’s decision to review the Federal Human Rights framework, with a focus on whether the Government should implement a Charter of Human Rights, is welcome, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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‘Poccum’s Law’ bail reform urgently needed to help prevent further tragedy
22nd Mar 2023The ‘Poccum’s Law’ bail reforms proposed today for Victoria are urgently needed and will work to keep people from unnecessary and inappropriate imprisonment.
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Lawyers warn gaps in e-scooter insurance cover may mean no recourse for injury
17th Mar 2023Urgent action from government and insurance companies is needed to ensure that anyone injured by an e-scooter in Victoria can receive fair compensation for their injuries, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Aviation White Paper must consider flight delay compensation and improved rights for passengers
13th Mar 2023A bespoke Australian flight delay compensation scheme should be part of the Federal Government’s aviation White Paper, a policy document which will set the long-term direction for the aviation sector, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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CTP review welcome but motorists’ rights must be retained
6th Mar 2023A review of Queensland’s CTP scheme as announced by the Queensland Government today is welcome, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Bail reform urgently needed but must give full discretion to the courts
5th Mar 2023Victorian Attorney-General Jacelyn Symes proposed bail reforms announced today are welcome but there needs to be wholesale bail law reform says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Better legislation and policy will result from Voice to Parliament
28th Feb 2023As part of the national launch today of Allies for Uluru, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has confirmed its commitment to ‘Voice, Treaty and Truth’ which starts with enshrining a First Nations Voice to Parliament in the Constitution
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Protection, support and legal advice urgently needed for whistle-blowers
27th Feb 2023Better protections for whistle-blowers will mean a safer society for all of us says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA), and whistle-blowers and their legal advisors should never face negative consequences for seeking or providing legal advice.
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New TAC Surgery Service Charter will fix surgery delays
24th Feb 2023A new Surgery Service Charter launched by the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) in Victoria this week will stop people injured on the road waiting too long to have surgery, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance.
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Australian laws must catch up with increasing medicinal cannabis use
22nd Feb 2023Australian laws have not kept pace with the increasing use of legal medicinal cannabis in Australia and law reform is urgently needed.
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Brisbane barrister wins award for commitment to justice for individuals
17th Feb 2023Brisbane based barrister, Gerard Mullins KC was today presented with the Australian Lawyers Alliance’s (ALA) Queensland Civil Justice Award recognising his commitment to using the law to improve the lives of individuals.
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Client privacy concerns: Lawyers call for urgent clarity re email search parameters
8th Feb 2023Lawyers in Victoria are calling for urgent clarification around the rules that allowed the Bar Council to access barristers’ private emails and could put client confidentially at risk.
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Increased transparency needed to improve patient safety in health care
7th Feb 2023Improved transparency, increased public access to information and more sharing of information between regulatory bodies is needed to help protect the public from unsafe healthcare, say lawyers practising in medical law.
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Tasmanian Greens bid to decriminalise personal drug use will reduce harm caused by drug dependence
2nd Feb 2023Proposed legislation launched today by the Tasmanian Greens to decriminalise personal drug use is an important step towards reducing the harm caused by drugs in our community, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Coronial findings response: Greater cultural consideration and a therapeutic approach urgently needed in Victorian bail decisions
30th Jan 2023A requirement that the police and the court must explicitly consider a person’s Indigenous status when making decisions in regards to bail and sentencing would help address the systemic failures highlighted today by Coroner Simon McGregor’s investigation into the death of Indigenous woman, Veronica Nelson.
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Human Rights Day: Call for Australian Government to take stronger action to condemn Iran
10th Dec 2022To mark Human Rights Day today, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) calls on the Australian Government to take stronger action in response to Iran’s violations of human rights.
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National legal association condemns plan for new youth detention centre in Cairns
9th Dec 2022A new youth detention centre in Cairns will not work to lower the rate of crime in the region, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance.
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Passing of Restoring Territory Rights Bill welcome: an injustice resolved
2nd Dec 2022The passing of the Restoring Territory Rights Bill 2022 resolves an historical injustice and restores the democratic rights of Northern Territory (NT) and Australian Capital Territory (ACT) residents, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA)
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Flight delay compensation - Australia lags behind much of the world - change needed
23rd Nov 2022The lack of compensation for flight delays and cancellations in Australia puts us behind much of the world when it comes to protecting traveller’s rights, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance.
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Govt urged to remember the human impact of changes to Return to Work SA scheme
23rd Nov 2022Ad-hoc revisions to the Return to Work SA scheme, along with flawed processes and inconsistencies in delivery, are having long-term and negative impacts on people injured at work, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance.
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Federal leadership urgently needed to solve national youth justice crisis
17th Nov 2022Federal Government leadership and a cohesive new national approach to ensuring that the justice system stops the systemic abuse of children in detention is urgently needed, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance.
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First Nations justice: a welcome priority in Budget Update 2022 - 2023
26th Oct 2022The commitment to justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples shown in the Federal Budget Update is welcome, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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ALA’s second Reconciliation Action Plan focuses on relationships & Voice to Parliament
25th Oct 2022The Australian Lawyers Alliance’s (ALA) second Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) was launched at the organisation’s annual national conference last Friday.
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Barrister Ngaire Watson wins ALA Member of the Year Award
21st Oct 2022A NSW barrister specialising in health and medical litigation, Ngaire Watson, has been awarded the 2022 Australian Lawyers Alliance’s (ALA) Member of the Year Award.
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SA lawyer wins national award recognising commitment to seeking justice for asylum seekers
21st Oct 2022A South Australian lawyer who uses his skills and expertise to advocate for survivors of abuse, and specifically people seeking asylum in Australia, has received the 2022 Australian Lawyers Alliance’s (ALA) Civil Justice Award.
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Australia needs flight delay and cancellation compensation
20th Oct 2022It is time for Australia to have its own flight delay and cancellation compensation regime to protect the rights of passengers, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Combative approach to workers compensation psychological injury claims is causing harm
10th Oct 2022The current combative approach taken to managing claims made for psychological injury under the NSW workers compensation scheme must be fixed, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Biden pardon rightly differentiates cannabis from other illicit drugs
7th Oct 2022United States President Joe Biden’s decision to pardon all prior federal offences of marijuana possession makes an important distinction between cannabis use and the use of other illicit drugs, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Organisations call for decriminalisation of cannabis in Victoria
28th Sep 2022Victoria’s drug laws must be brought into line with community expectations and the increasing evidence that shows a heath-based response to drug use is the best approach, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Overdue NSW Government response to ice inquiry is disappointing
21st Sep 2022With its refusal to decriminalise the personal use of drugs, the NSW Government has missed an important opportunity today to reduce drug use and save lives.
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Qld govt urged to decriminalise public drunkenness and begging
8th Sep 2022Public drunkenness and begging must both be treated as health and social issues, not criminal offences, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Cosmetic surgery advertising concerns remain despite release of review report
1st Sep 2022The recommendations made as a result of Ahpra and the Medical Board of Australia's review of the cosmetic surgery industry are not strong enough to improve patient safety quickly, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Govt urged to investigate Tasmanian police use of listening devices & its oversight regime
31st Aug 2022The Tasmanian Prisoners Legal Service and the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) jointly call upon the State government to hold a commission of inquiry into Tasmania Police practices in relation to seeking and executing warrants for the use of listening devices.
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Anti-protest laws are undemocratic and will fail to protect Tasmanian jobs and communities
26th Aug 2022The Police Offences Amendment (Workplace Protection) Bill 2022 has passed Tasmania’s Upper House with a number of amendments but, despite the changes, the Bill remains unnecessary and disproportionate, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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More regulation of cosmetic surgery industry needed – not less
24th Aug 2022Horrifying incidents of botched cosmetic surgery underscore the need for stricter regulation of the industry.
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ATAS Code of Conduct improvements welcome but do not go far enough to protect consumers
23rd Aug 2022Recommendations made following a review of the travel agents’ self-regulatory accreditation scheme are welcome but do not go far enough to sufficiently protect consumers.
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Queensland First Nations treaty welcome: will help fight injustice
16th Aug 2022The Queensland government’s commitment to developing a treaty making framework and a truth-telling process is a welcome step towards addressing the injustice experienced by First Nations communities, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Legal immunity for aged care providers must be removed from aged care bill: will strip residents of their rights
1st Aug 2022Aged care advocates and lawyers are calling on politicians to urgently remove the clause in the proposed aged care legislation – the Aged Care and Other Legislation Amendment (Royal Commission Response) Bill 2022 – that provides civil and criminal immunity to aged care providers.
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Merit-based appointment process for Human Rights Commission is imperative: legislation welcome
28th Jul 2022Proposed legislation which will ensure appointments to the Australian Human Rights Commission are made through a merit-based, transparent process is very welcome, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Sydney solicitor Genevieve Henderson is new ALA national president
21st Jul 2022The new national president of the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) is Sydney solicitor, Genevieve Henderson.
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Tasmanian drug laws must change to reflect community expectations
18th Jul 2022Tasmania’s drug laws must be brought into line with community expectations and the increasing evidence that shows a health-based response to drug use is the best approach, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Injured workers need every chance to be assessed before workers comp rules change
8th Jul 2022New workers’ compensation laws in South Australia provide some certainty for workers but there will be seriously injured people who miss out on the support they need.
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Lawyers welcome decision to drop Collaery prosecution
7th Jul 2022The decision to discontinue the prosecution of former ACT Attorney-General Bernard Collaery is very welcome, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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New workers comp bill flawed and ambiguous – must not be rushed through Parliament
28th Jun 2022Lawyers representing injured workers say the Return to Work (Scheme Sustainability) Bill 2022 is flawed and ambiguous, and will create further uncertainty for injured workers.
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Proposed anti-protest laws are an unnecessary attack on the right to protest
22nd Jun 2022Anti-protest laws currently being reviewed by the Legislative Council in Tasmania are an unnecessary attack on the right to freedom of speech and freedom of assembly, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Withdrawal of workers comp bill welcome but lawyers call for careful consideration of new amendments
14th Jun 2022Lawyers representing injured workers have welcomed the withdrawal of the amendments previously proposed to the SA Return to Work Act, but are calling for careful review of the new Return to Work (Scheme Sustainability) Bill 2022.
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Calls for Government to disclose actuarial reports relied upon to make workers comp changes
10th Jun 2022Proposed changes to the SA Return to Work Act mean that many workers who suffer more than one injury face an uncertain future and are likely to be considerably worse off, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Raising the age of detention to 14 years does not go far enough
8th Jun 2022Plans announced today to raise the age of detention in Tasmania do not go far enough to address the issues in the youth justice system, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Lifting ban on patient testimonials in advertising will risk public safety
8th Jun 2022Lifting the current ban on patient testimonials being used in health services advertising will expose the public to preventable dangers and risk public safety, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Lawyers Alliance welcomes new Federal Ministry
3rd Jun 2022The new Federal Government Ministry has the opportunity to make positive reform and work to deliver justice to all Australians, said the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) welcoming the country’s new leaders to their roles.
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Stealthy approach to stripping rights from injured workers is deplorable
2nd Jun 2022A proposal to make a fundamental change to the SA Return to Work Act, which will affect thousands of workers and their entitlements, is being snuck into Parliament today without consultation, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Drug law reform in NSW will save lives: Proposed drug diversion program small step in the right direction
2nd Jun 2022Reforming drug laws in NSW will save lives says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) in response to the Attorney-General’s proposal to trial a pre-court drug diversion program.
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Travel industry accreditation scheme should be strengthened to improve consumer protections
31st May 2022Stronger industry regulation through the Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA) accreditation scheme (ATAS) will help address consumer issues highlighted by the recent pandemic lock-downs, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Tanya Day family recognised for law change advocacy
30th May 2022The family of Tanya Day who successfully advocated for the decriminalisation of public drunkenness in Victoria has belatedly received the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) 2021 Victorian Civil Justice Award.
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National Reconciliation Week: Voice to Parliament will make real change
27th May 2022The new Federal Government has a unique opportunity to significantly change the lives of First Nations people by moving quickly to hold a referendum to allow for an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament.
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Social justice warrior – Sister Brigid Arthur – wins Victorian civil justice award
27th May 2022Sister Brigid Arthur was today presented with the Australian Lawyers Alliance’s (ALA) 2022 Victoria Civil Justice Award recognising her long-term commitment to social justice.
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Voluntary assisted dying laws in NSW welcome: Call to allow NT & ACT to pass own VAD laws
19th May 2022Voluntary assisted dying laws in NSW will now provide much needed clarity and compassion for people with a terminal illness, their families, and the medical professionals who help them to manage their final days.
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New NSW police powers are dangerously broad
17th May 2022Extraordinary new powers given to NSW police which allow them to search an individual and their home without a warrant are too broad and lack appropriate oversight, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Qld Government plans to strip rights from dying workers
12th May 2022Changes proposed to Queensland’s workers’ compensation laws dramatically and unnecessarily affect the rights of dying people, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Rural and regional health inquiry report welcome but must be actioned urgently
5th May 2022The NSW Government is urged to promptly implement the recommendations in the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry’s report into rural and regional health to help prevent further tragedies caused by failures in the system, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Rights of ACT residents must be protected with simple and affordable complaints mechanism
28th Apr 2022ACT residents who believe their human rights have been breached need a simple and affordable way to make a complaint and access legal remedies, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) in a submission to the ACT Government.
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Banksia Hill conditions are an appalling breach of human rights: reform is urgent
19th Apr 2022Conditions at Banksia Hill youth detention facility indicate clear breaches of children’s human rights and show that little has been learnt from the Northern Territory’s Don Dale Royal Commission, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Immunity for aged care providers will strip elders of legal rights
25th Mar 2022A proposed amendment to the Aged Care Act that will protect aged care providers from civil claims and criminal charges arising from unlawful restraint incidents must not proceed, say lawyers.
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NZ refugee resettlement deal welcome but long overdue
24th Mar 2022The agreement between Australia and New Zealand to resettle refugees and asylum seekers is welcome but the physical and mental harm done by the Australian government to those who can now start new lives is unconscionable, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Urgent law reform needed to prevent sexual harassment at work
18th Mar 2022Everyone deserves to be safe at work and free from sexual harassment, but our current system is failing us. While sexual harassment is pervasive across all industries and all employment levels in Australia, it is not inevitable. We have the power to prevent it.
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Victorian forced adoption redress scheme welcome but should be nation-wide
10th Mar 2022A redress scheme in Victoria to support those affected by historical forced adoption practices is welcome, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA), but it should be nation-wide.
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NSW president Joshua Dale receives Member of the Year Award
10th Mar 2022The current Australian Lawyers Alliance’s (ALA) NSW state president, Joshua Dale, has been recognised as the organisation’s member of the year for 2021.
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Qld member Rod Hodgson wins ALA Member of the Year Award
10th Mar 2022A leader in the pursuit of justice for individuals, Rodney Hodgson, has been awarded the Australian Lawyers Alliance’s (ALA) Member of the Year for 2021
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NSW barrister wins national Civil Justice Award
8th Mar 2022A NSW barrister who is a passionate advocate for the rights of those who have suffered injury and abuse within institutions has received the Australian Lawyers Alliance’s (ALA) 2021 Civil Justice Award.
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Qld dust disease legal expert wins national Civil Justice Award
8th Mar 2022A Brisbane lawyer committed to obtaining justice for workers whose health has been irreparably damaged due to exposure to dust from engineered stone has won the Australian Lawyers Alliance’s (ALA) 2021 Civil Justice Award.
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Toowoomba lawyer wins award for bringing legal services to regional and remote communities
11th Feb 2022The Principal Lawyer at Legal Aid Queensland, Toowoomba was today presented with the Australian Lawyers Alliance’s (ALA) Queensland Civil Justice Award recognising her personal commitment to helping people in regional and remote communities to access justice.
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Flawed Religious Discrimination Bill must be fully redrafted
8th Feb 2022The flawed Religious Discrimination Bill will take away hard-fought protections for people who need them and should not be passed, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Djokovic case sets dangerous precedent
16th Jan 2022The argument of the Federal Government in the Novak Djokovic case sets a dangerous precedent in a democratic society.
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Djokovic case highlights Australia’s arbitrary and unfair border policies
14th Jan 2022The decision today to cancel Novak Djokovic’s visa highlights how arbitrary Australia’s border policies and immigration decisions are, say lawyers.
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Fines for failing to report positive RAT results: unhelpful and will not work
13th Jan 2022Fining people for failing to report a positive COVID-19 test result is an unhelpful and an unnecessarily punitive approach to managing a public health issue, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Reform of body-worn camera laws in Victoria is welcome
21st Dec 2021Plans to reform the legislation to allow courts to access video footage from body-worn cameras during civil proceedings in Victoria is welcome.
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Federal human rights charter needed to balance conflicting rights in a crisis
9th Dec 2021A federal human rights charter is needed to help balance the competing rights that have come into conflict in the management of the pandemic, and ensure these rights are protected in future, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Investment in rural and regional health services will save lives and money
3rd Dec 2021Increased investment in health services in rural and regional NSW will prevent deaths and injuries caused by under-resourcing, lack of staff and systemic failures, and will reduce the burden of medical negligence claims, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Lawyers’ duty to the administration of justice undermined by Religious Discrimination Bill
3rd Dec 2021If it becomes law, the Religious Discrimination Bill will allow lawyers to make statements of belief even when these comments could damage the reputation of the justice system.
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Review of cosmetic surgery sector welcome but overdue
30th Nov 2021The review of patient safety in the cosmetic surgery sector announced by Ahpra today is welcome but long overdue, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Lawyers call for ban on advertising cosmetic surgery to u18s
16th Nov 2021Banning the advertising of cosmetic procedures to children is one of a suite of regulatory actions lawyers are recommending to help keep consumers safe.
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Age of criminal responsibility must not be lower than 14 years
15th Nov 2021The age of criminal responsibility in Australia must be raised to at least 14 years as recommended by the United Nations.
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Expansion of CEO’s powers in NDIS Bill is concerning and unnecessary
12th Nov 2021New legislation designed to improve the experience of NDIS participants contains concerning clauses that expand the powers of the NDIA CEO unnecessarily, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Reform of NSW child sex abuse laws welcome
10th Nov 2021New laws in NSW that allow courts to set aside unfair settlements in child sexual abuse matters are very welcome, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Australian Government must lobby Singapore to stop plans to execute mentally impaired man
9th Nov 2021Lawyers are urging the Australian Government to call on Singapore to stop the planned execution of an intellectually disabled man convicted for drug offences.
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Laws regulating cosmetic surgery advertising must be strengthened to protect consumers
28th Oct 2021The current laws regulating the advertising of cosmetic surgery are not sufficient to ensure public safety, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Collaery trial: welcome removal of secrecy orders but prosecution should not proceed
8th Oct 2021The lifting of secrecy orders this week in the trial of lawyer Bernard Collaery is welcome but the prosecution should not proceed, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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COVID-19 tracing data must be protected by law nationally
7th Oct 2021Federal legislation is urgently needed to ensure COVID-19 tracing data is used only for health purposes in every state and territory, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) as the Greens plan to introduce a bill to Parliament that will ban law enforcement agencies from accessing this data.
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NSW Coroner’s Court needs restructure and more resourcing to reduce delays
29th Sep 2021The NSW Coroner’s Court needs to be restructured and better resourced to reduce the current extensive delays, allow it to better examine systemic issues and ensure its recommendations are acted on, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Australia’s human rights reputation undermined by lack of transparency in Commissioner appointment
22nd Sep 2021Australia’s international human rights reputation is undermined by processes that lack transparency and result in hand-picked appointments to critical positions within the Human Rights Commission, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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ALA welcomes closure of Ashley Youth Detention Centre
9th Sep 2021The Government’s decision to close the Ashley Youth Detention Centre has been welcomed by lawyers who say that it is imperative that this opportunity for a complete overhaul of the youth justice system in Tasmania is not squandered.
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Proposed drug driving law unfair and not supported by science
8th Sep 2021Proposed new drug driving laws in SA are not fair to drivers who can lose their license for taking prescribed cannabis with no evidence of impaired driving, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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ALA calls on Government to take evidence-based approach to drug policy
6th Sep 2021The Cannabis Decriminalisation Bill 2021 proposed last week should be tabled and voted to committee so that an evidence-based approach can be used to inform drug policy in Tasmania, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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ALA proposes legislation to decriminalise cannabis use in Tasmania
2nd Sep 2021International and interstate examples of success, growing public support and the clear failure of current laws to stop drug use means the time is right for drug law reform in Tasmania, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Reduce prison numbers to minimise need for prison lockdowns
30th Aug 2021The use of lockdowns to control the outbreak of COVID-19 in the state’s prison system is inhumane, amounts to solitary confinement and will cause serious harm to families of prisoners, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Rules regarding use of ‘cosmetic surgeon’ title needed to protect patients
27th Aug 2021The use of the term ‘cosmetic surgeon’ by doctors without appropriate, specialist surgery qualifications can confuse potential patients, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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SA workers’ compensation revisions remain concerning
25th Aug 2021Revisions to the South Australian workers’ compensation Impairment Assessment Guidelines gazetted yesterday are an improvement on the changes originally proposed, but lawyers remain concerned that some changes were made despite strong objections.
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Australian refugee response ‘not good enough’
20th Aug 2021Australia must accept more than just 3,000 Afghans seeking protection from the Taliban, and all Afghans already in Australia need a guarantee that they will never be forced to return to Afghanistan, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Government and courts urged to release prisoners and grant bail to minimise COVID-19 risk
17th Aug 2021Government and courts are being urged to activate legislation passed in NSW last year to reduce the number of people in prison, following the impact of COVID-19 at both Bathurst Correctional Centre and Silverwater Jail in recent days.
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Workplace safety must be the priority in vaccine mandate
9th Aug 2021Mandating COVID-19 vaccinations in some workplaces, when vaccines are readily available, is not unreasonable, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Role of ADF to enforce compliance with COVID rules must be well defined
29th Jul 2021Calling on the Australian Defence Force to enforce lock down rules in Sydney virus hot spots sets a dangerous precedent so the role of defence force personnel must be clearly defined, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA)
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Proposed changes to workers comp laws will lead to more disputes and legal action
21st Jul 2021Proposed changes to the state’s workers’ compensation laws will disadvantage injured workers and mean workers are more likely to have to fight through the tribunal and courts to receive compensation, say lawyers.
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Criminalising coercive control will risk harm to First Nations women
12th Jul 2021The criminalisation of coercive control has significant potential to harm the women that most need protection from violence, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Pandemic highlights gaps in consumer law: urgent reform & regulation needed to protect travellers
8th Jul 2021Reform to Australian Consumer Law and further regulation is urgently needed to fix gaps that result in travellers losing money and receiving inconsistent refunds for cancelled travel.
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State and territory ministers urged to oppose plan for NDIS independent assessments
6th Jul 2021State and territory ministers for disability services are being urged to oppose the Federal Government’s proposed changes to the NDIS which will mandate independent assessments.
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Welcome protection for patients with govt’s new vaccine indemnity scheme
2nd Jul 2021The Government’s announcement today that a new COVID-19 indemnity scheme will protect patients as well as health professionals is welcome, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Urgent action needed to ensure fair redress for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
30th Jun 2021Urgent changes must be made to the National Redress Scheme legislation to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people receive fair and equal access to compensation, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance.
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Vaccine compensation scheme falls short
30th Jun 2021A vaccination compensation scheme is a step in the right direction but falls short of a comprehensive plan to overcome vaccine hesitancy, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Calls for law change to ensure transparency around development in Wilderness World Heritage Areas
29th Jun 2021A change to the law is needed to ensure transparency around private development in environmentally significant parts of Tasmania, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Misuse of COVID-19 tracing data must be punishable with sanctions and liability
25th Jun 2021Heavy penalties are needed for leaders in police, law enforcement and security agencies when they facilitate, or turn a blind eye to, the unlawful gathering and use of COVID-19 tracing data, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Badly injured SA workers to be hit hard by proposed changes to workers comp laws
22nd Jun 2021Injured workers in South Australia will be badly affected by proposed changes to the workers’ compensation laws which are being made without proper scrutiny, say lawyers.
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ALA’s first national president acknowledged in Queen’s Birthday Honours List
17th Jun 2021The first national president of the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) Mr Peter Semmler QC has been recognised in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours List, along with long-term ALA member Victorian workplace injury lawyer, Ms Liberty Sanger.
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Minister urged to use discretionary powers to show compassion to Sri Lankan Tamil family
15th Jun 2021The Government should use the discretionary power allowed within the Migration Act to grant a visa to the Murugappan family, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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National Reconciliation Week action needed to achieve justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
28th May 2021National Reconciliation Week is a reminder that comprehensive action is urgently needed to address the injustices experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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VAD bill welcome but better access needed for remote Queenslanders & those with long term illness
25th May 2021Queensland’s proposed voluntary assisted dying bill is welcome but could be improved to ensure timely access for people living in remote areas, and to remove subjective rules around life expectancy time frames, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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NSW affirmative consent laws unlikely to make a real difference
25th May 2021The affirmative consent laws announced by the NSW Government today are unlikely to make a real difference to the victim’s experience in a criminal sexual assault trial, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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COVID-19 pandemic highlights urgent need for Australian human rights charter
17th May 2021The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for an Australian charter of human rights to protect all citizens from the impact of arbitrary and unfair government decisions, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Amendment to migration law will cause serious harm
13th May 2021New laws passed today that allow the Government to lock people in immigration detention indefinitely will cause serious harm, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Proposed NT youth justice laws are a backward step & will not make the community safer
11th May 2021The Youth Justice Legislation Amendment Bill 2021 being proposed by the NT Government is a backwards step that contradicts all the principles of effective youth justice, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Bolstering quarantine facilities must be priority to allow more open, safe Australian borders
10th May 2021Improving Australia’s quarantine facilities to allow Australians to come home or reunite with family overseas must be the Federal Government’s urgent priority.
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India travel ban is ‘draconian’ use of Govt powers
3rd May 2021Criminalising travel from India to Australia is an intrusive and severe use of the Federal Government’s powers, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) and the Government must take responsibility for creating better quarantine processes to enable Australians to return home.
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Hunter left out of regional and rural health inquiry
29th Apr 2021Hunter based health lawyer and Australian Lawyers’ Alliance (ALA) NSW spokesperson on health, Catherine Henry, is disappointed that the parliamentary inquiry brought on by the crisis in regional and rural health will not hold a hearing in the Hunter.
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SA harassment report shows cultural reform urgently needed
27th Apr 2021The Equal Opportunity Commission’s review of harassment in the legal profession in South Australia is a sobering reminder that the legal profession still has a long way to go to address sexual harassment in the workplace, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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30 years since Royal Commission: criminal justice system still fails First Nations people
14th Apr 2021Australia’s criminal justice system continues to fail First Nations people 30 years after the findings of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody were handed down, say lawyers.
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Inability to challenge NDIS assessments undermines principles of ‘choice and control’
8th Apr 2021The inability of participants to challenge the results of mandatory NDIS assessments undermines the legislative intent of the scheme, says the ALA.
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Labor’s aggravated trespass plan is unwieldy and will not protect the resource industry
31st Mar 2021Labor’s proposal to create a new offence of aggravated trespass does not effectively balance the concerns of Tasmania’s resource industry and the protection of civil liberties, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Lawyers welcome rejection of anti-protest laws
25th Mar 2021Today’s Tasmanian Legislative Council decision to oppose the Workplaces (Protection from Protesters) Amendment Act 2019 has been welcomed by the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Proposed youth justice reforms in NT will not make the community safer
24th Mar 2021The reforms to youth justice laws proposed by the Northern Territory government yesterday will not make communities safer and contradict the recommendations of the Royal Commission into the detention of children in the NT, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Juvenile crime laws will not make communities safer
22nd Mar 2021The measures proposed in the Youth Justice and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2021 will not make communities safer, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) in a submission to the Queensland government.
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International Women’s Day: Timely reminder to call out sexual harassment in legal profession
8th Mar 2021International Women’s Day is a timely reminder of how important it is to call out abusive, harassing behaviours in the workplace when they are witnessed, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Lawyers say time is now for drug law reform
4th Mar 2021International examples of success, growing public support and the clear failure of current laws to stop drug use means the time is right now for drug law reform, said the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) today launching a new policy report into Australian drug laws.
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Government urged to act quickly on Aged Care RC recommendations
1st Mar 2021The Federal Government must act quickly to implement the recommendations of the Aged Care Royal Commission to prevent further deaths, abuse and neglect in aged care homes, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Online Safety Bill gives broad new powers without due process
24th Feb 2021Lawyers are warning that the Online Safety Bill introduced into Parliament today gives new and broad discretionary powers to the e-Safety Commissioner and the Minister without establishing appropriate processes to determine what material is in the public interest or to adequately appeal decisions.
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Cairns-based Mamu and Gunggandji lawyer wins state award for commitment to justice
12th Feb 2021A Cairns-based Mamu and Gunggandji barrister who works to provide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals and communities fair access to the legal system was today presented with the Australian Lawyers Alliance’s (ALA) Queensland Civil Justice Award
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Youth crime crackdown will not create safer Queensland communities
9th Feb 2021Measures announced today designed to address youth crime will not work to make the community safer, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Support for Myanmar legal community
8th Feb 2021Lawyers and legal organisations across Myanmar that are fighting for freedom, open justice and the rule of law need the support of the international legal community, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Medicinal cannabis driving bill removes injustice
3rd Feb 2021Current drug driving laws are not fair to drivers who can lose their license for taking prescribed cannabis when there is no evidence of impaired driving, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) in response to the Road Traffic (Medicinal Cannabis) Amendment
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Bill 2021 being introduced into parliament in South Australia today. -
Consumers let down as Govt fails to action Banking RC two years after findings released
1st Feb 2021Super fund members, bank customers and insurance policy holders have all been let down by the Federal Government’s failure to implement the recommendations of the Financial Services Royal Commission at the second anniversary of the release of Commissioner Hayne’s findings, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA)
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ALA thanks Victorian Attorney-General Jill Hennessy
17th Dec 2020Attorney-General Jill Hennessy’s commitment to creating a fairer justice system in Victoria will be missed, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Newcastle lawyer honoured for commitment to social justice
4th Dec 2020A Newcastle-based lawyer who uses her skills and expertise to advocate for vulnerable people has received the 2020 Australian Lawyers Alliance’s (ALA) Civil Justice Award.
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VIC lawyer wins national award for leadership in COVID crisis
4th Dec 2020Victorian lawyer Jeremy King has been awarded the 2020 Australian Lawyers Alliance’s (ALA) Member of the Year Award.
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Access to justice at risk from FCC price hike
27th Nov 2020The fourfold increase in the Federal Circuit Court fees, announced by the government last week, will make it increasingly difficult for migrants, including asylum seekers, to have fair access to Australia’s justice system.
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Provisional payments Bill will benefit workers experiencing mental illness
27th Nov 2020Victorian workers who experience a work-related mental illness will benefit from having much quicker access to treatment and payments due to new legislation which allows for provisional payments to be made, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Sexual abuse inquiry welcome but terms of reference must not be too limited
23rd Nov 2020Lawyers in Tasmania have welcomed today’s announcement that a Commission of Inquiry into sexual abuse in government institutions will be held, but caution that the Inquiry’s terms of reference must not be too restrictive.
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Aged care performance data must be made public
20th Nov 2020Consumers need easy access to data about the performance of individual aged care facilities so that they can make informed decisions, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Bystander training needed in legal profession to help prevent harassment
23rd Oct 2020Ensuring all lawyers have the skills and confidence to call out sexual harassment even when it does not directly impact them will reduce the incidence of harassment and bullying in the legal profession, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA), as the organisation launches its new gender equality policy today.
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Industrial manslaughter laws needed to set workplace safety expectations
21st Oct 2020Tougher industrial manslaughter laws are needed in Tasmania says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) supporting Labor’s push to permit the prosecution of companies for a death in the workplace.
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Lawyers urge decriminalisation of cannabis use in Victoria
15th Oct 2020Cannabis use in Victoria should be decriminalised and regulated to minimise harm to users, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Body-worn police camera laws in VIC need urgent revision for use in civil matters
9th Oct 2020Laws surrounding body-worn police cameras in Victoria need urgent revision so that access to video footage cannot be denied in civil proceedings, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Budget 2020 failed to address the urgent and life-threatening issues in aged care
7th Oct 2020The 2020 federal budget has failed to address the systemic problems in aged care that COVID-19 has tragically exposed, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Monetary Penalties Enforcement Bill fails to tackle issues of disadvantage & debt
27th Sep 2020The Monetary Penalties Enforcement Amendment Bill 2020 is a missed opportunity to address issues facing Tasmanians experiencing extreme hardship and should not be allowed to pass in its current form, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) in a submission on the Bill which the Attorney-General Elise Archer has released for public comment.
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Lawyers welcome inquiry into rural and regional health to prevent further tragedy
16th Sep 2020Read MoreThe NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into rural and regional health announced yesterday is a positive step towards preventing further tragedies caused by failures in the system, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Millions in compensation payments delayed due to slow Centrelink processing
1st Sep 2020Millions of dollars which should be assisting families in need remains locked in insurers’ trust accounts due to Centrelink processing delays, according to the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Prison lockdowns cannot be the solution to preventing COVID-19 outbreak
27th Aug 2020As some 7000 prisoners in Queensland are placed into ‘extreme isolation’ to manage the threat of a COVID-19 outbreak, governments and courts are being urged to reduce the number of people in prison and provide for discounts on sentence time served.
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Urgent action needed to prevent COVID-19 crisis in disability care
12th Aug 2020The federal government and the NDIA need to take urgent action to keep NDIS clients and disability care workers safe from COVID-19 as case numbers grow both in disability homes and amongst residential clients, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Access to justice in Victoria limited by childcare restrictions
11th Aug 2020Injured Victorians may not be able to have their cases heard because of rules that prevent lawyers and barristers in Victoria from accessing childcare despite being able to run trials remotely.
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Fair compensation for work injuries ‘almost impossible’ if NSW scheme issues not resolved
3rd Aug 2020Issues within the operation of the NSW Workers’ Compensation Scheme must be resolved otherwise it will become almost impossible for injured workers to receive fair compensation, according to the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Grant bail for non-violent offences to help prevent COVID-19 prison outbreak
30th Jul 2020As coronavirus cases lockdown prisons in Victoria and NSW, governments and courts are again being urged to reduce the number of people in prison.
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Reform needed to fix failings of workers’ comp schemes
28th Jul 2020Serious issues in the workers’ compensation schemes in NSW and Victoria, revealed yesterday by The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and ABC TV's Four Corners, highlight an urgent need for reform and require further investigation, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Lawyers urge Council of Attorneys-General to raise age of criminal responsibility
24th Jul 2020Lawyers are calling for the age of criminal responsibility to be raised to 14 years when the Council of Attorneys-General meets on Monday to consider the issue.
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Comcare must act to enforce WHS laws in immigration detention
15th Jul 2020Failure to enforce COVID-19 social distancing rules in immigration detention centres, including hotels, is a breach of workplace health and safety laws and Comcare must act immediately to enforce this duty of care, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Concerns re risk of heavy-handed policing in Melbourne hot spots
1st Jul 2020Extraordinary police measures being used to enforce lock downs in Melbourne virus hot spots must be measured and be culturally appropriate.
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ALA new national president: First time a WA lawyer takes the role
1st Jul 2020A West Australian barrister is the first lawyer from WA to be appointed national president of the Australian Lawyers Alliance.
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Lawyers call on WA Government to proclaim unpaid fine legislation urgently
24th Jun 2020The passing of legislation which will prevent fine defaulters in WA from going to prison was long overdue, and the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) calls on the government to proclaim the legislation as a matter of urgency.
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Complaints show more work needed in legal profession to address sexual harassment
23rd Jun 2020The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) welcomes the High Court of Australia’s announcement that it will immediately strengthen its policies and training to prevent incidents of sexual harassment, following an investigation upholding complaints against former High Court Judge Dyson Heydon.
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JobKeeper payments to priests – improper and inappropriate
18th Jun 2020The payment of JobKeeper moneys to the Catholic Church and priests is an example of hypocrisy by the Church, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Newmarch House coronial investigation welcomed
4th Jun 2020A coronial investigation into the COVID-19 deaths at Newmarch House is welcome as it should provide the opportunity for much needed scrutiny of the issues that led to the tragedy, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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High Court Don Dale ruling: timely reminder that police & prison officers need to follow the law
3rd Jun 2020Today’s High Court decision, which found that the tear-gassing of four teenagers in Darwin's Don Dale Youth Detention Centre was unlawful, holds the prison system to account for the inhumane treatment of the teenagers in their care.
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Calls for NSW government to retain program helping keep people with cognitive disability out of prison
2nd Jun 2020Lawyers are calling on the NSW Government to continue funding a program that helps divert alleged offenders with intellectual disabilities and brain injuries from prison.
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Border Force search and seize laws will dangerously increase security staff powers
14th May 2020The powers of Australian Border Force staff will be significantly increased if proposed laws introduced today by Acting Immigration Minister Alan Tudge are passed, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Excessive amendments to national security laws avoid scrutiny due to COVID-19
13th May 2020Changes to national security laws governing ASIO's powers to question terrorism suspects, introduced into Parliament today, excessively increase ASIO’s powers and are not necessary, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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COVIDSafe legislation welcomed but needs to better protect our right to opt in or out
11th May 2020The COVIDSafe tracing app needs a strong legal framework to safeguard our rights and privacy and the release of draft legislation is welcome, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Inquiry into Newmarch House needed: tragedy highlights urgent need for aged care reform
6th May 2020An inquiry into the COVID-19 tragedy at Newmarch House is urgently needed as the situation has tragically highlighted the desperate need for reform in the sector, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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NSW laws to limit payouts to prisoners must not apply to victims of child sexual abuse
4th May 2020NSW legislation that restricts the ability of offenders to recover personal injury payouts from prisons must not be allowed to apply to the victims of child sexual abuse, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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VIC emergency plans for prisoners are inhumane Bill needs careful scrutiny: ALA
22nd Apr 2020Careful scrutiny of the Victorian COVID-19 Omnibus (Emergency Measures) Bill 2020 is needed as the scope is broad and the powers are significant, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Legislation needed to manage privacy & data abuse concerns of COVID-19 tracing app
21st Apr 2020The COVID-19 tracing app needs a strong legal framework to safeguard our rights and privacy, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Non-compliance with COVID-19 rules in immigration detention breaches WHS Act
17th Apr 2020Reported failures to enforce COVID-19 social distancing rules in immigration detention centres is a breach of Commonwealth workplace health and safety laws, according to the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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COVID-19 financial losses highlight urgent need for Compensation Scheme of Last Resort
16th Apr 2020Consumers who have received negligent financial advice need a Compensation Scheme of Last Resort now more than ever as financial losses are amplified by the COVID-19 economic crisis, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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ALA welcomes release of human rights report as COVID-19 response highlights inequalities
14th Apr 2020A scorecard tracking Australia’s record on human rights principles has been released by the Universal Periodic Review NGO Coordinating Committee.
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Moratorium on minor offences needed to help keep community safe
3rd Apr 2020A moratorium on the prosecution of low-level street and drug offences should be implemented immediately so that police can focus on assisting the community to keep well and safe, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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ALA welcomes QLD health committee’s support for voluntary assisted dying
3rd Apr 2020The recommendation that voluntary assisted dying for terminally ill adults should be legalised in Queensland has been welcomed by the ALA.
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Disadvantaged & vulnerable Tasmanians need support - not prosecution – in health crisis
2nd Apr 2020A moratorium on drug offences and help for the homeless are needed to keep all Tasmanians safe during this public health emergency, according to the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Failure to sign up to redress scheme should mean loss of charitable status: ALA
31st Mar 2020If an institution is named as being responsible for abuse and it chooses not to participate in the National Redress Scheme it should lose its charitable status, according to the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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COVID 19 risks in immigration detention: calls for clarity re social distancing & hygiene guidelines
27th Mar 2020Lawyers are calling on government to publicly explain how COVID-19 health guidelines are being followed in detention centres after several asylum seekers have expressed serious concerns about their safety.
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COVID-19: Release non-violent prisoners in WA to avoid health catastrophe in prisons
26th Mar 2020The WA government must release selected prisoners to reduce the risk of a COVID-19 catastrophe in the state’s prisons, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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COVID-19 in detention centres & prisons: A potential human rights catastrophe
24th Mar 2020Proposed NSW legislation that will allow for the early release of some prisoners is welcome, and similar legislation should be introduced in all other states and territories as a matter of urgency, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Release non-violent prisoners to avoid catastrophe of COVID-19 outbreak in prison, says ALA
20th Mar 2020The government must consider releasing as many non-violent remandees as possible into the community on bail, and release older non-violent prisoners and others who have poor physical health into home detention arrangements, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Specialist drug court legislation welcomed
18th Mar 2020Legislation introduced in the Victorian parliament today to expand the Drug Court, which has been running from Dandenong and Melbourne magistrates courts, to Shepparton, Ballarat and the County Court has been welcomed by the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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COVID-19: Changes needed to minimise impact on the delivery of justice
17th Mar 2020Changes, including national access to judge-only trials, need to be made to ensure the justice system can still operate fairly in light of the social distancing requirements caused by COVID-19, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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COVID-19: TAS Government urged to make changes to ensure justice
16th Mar 2020Changes need to be made to ensure the justice system can still operate fairly in light of the social distancing requirements caused by COVID-19, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Homelessness courts urgently needed in Australia, say lawyers
6th Mar 2020The conviction of a hungry, homeless man for taking food from a dumpster in Tasmania this week highlights the urgent need for specialist homelessness courts in Australia, according to the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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ALA welcomes appointment of new Chief Judge of the District Court
28th Feb 2020Ms Michelle Antunovich, the WA President of the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) welcomes the appointment of Her Honour Judge Julie Wager as the new Chief Judge of the District Court of Western Australia.
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Flawed religious discrimination bill will permit discriminatory conduct
28th Feb 2020The flawed religious discrimination bill is an alarming backwards step which will take away hard-fought protections for people who need them.
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MAIC report confirms QLD CTP scheme is ‘stable, fair and affordable’
27th Feb 2020Queensland’s CTP scheme has again been confirmed as the most affordable scheme in the country, following the release today of the 2019 CTP Scheme Insights Report from the independent regulator the Motor Accident Insurance Commission (MAIC).
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ALA condemns secret filming of Assange’s legal meetings
24th Feb 2020The filming of Julian Assange’s confidential conferences with his lawyers in the Ecuadorian Embassy is a deeply concerning development, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Workers comp financial problems must not be off-loaded onto injured workers: ALA
23rd Feb 2020Injured workers should not be asked to bear the costs of medical treatment in an attempt to resolve financial issues within NSW’s workers compensation scheme, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Workplace safety laws being used inappropriately to restrict right to protest
21st Feb 2020The unprecedented use of workplace safety laws to try to curtail the right to protest is very concerning said the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA), following the news that the Bob Brown Foundation has been threatened with fines by WorkSafe.
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Lawyers urge Council of Attorney Generals to raise age of criminal responsibility
18th Feb 2020The age of criminal responsibility must be raised to 14 years in accordance with the recommendations of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has told the Council of Attorney Generals in a submission today.
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Lack of respect for High Court ruling concerns ALA
14th Feb 2020The outcry from some commentators following the High Court’s ruling this week that Aboriginal Australians cannot be considered ‘aliens’ in Australia reveals a concerning lack of respect for the High Court, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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ALA welcomes landmark High Court decision
11th Feb 2020The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) welcomes the decision by the High Court today confirming that Aboriginal Australians cannot be deported under immigration law.
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Gold Coast woman wins award recognising her fight for justice for Qld paramedics
7th Feb 2020A Gold Coast woman who advocated to obtain better support for Queensland paramedics with mental health issues has today been presented with the Australian Lawyers Alliance’s (ALA) Queensland Civil Justice Award (CJA).
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Lawyers call for NSW strip search inquiry to be continued
6th Feb 2020The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission’s (LECC) decision to cut short its inquiry into potentially illegal strip searches conducted by NSW police is very concerning, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Insurance coverage slashed for people innocently injured on Canberra’s roads: New MAI Act
3rd Feb 2020People injured on Canberra’s roads are likely to face a ‘David and Goliath’ battle to receive adequate compensation, now that the new Motor Accident Injuries Act 2019 is in force, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Smart justice: QLD Productivity Commission recommendations will create safer communities
31st Jan 2020Implementing the recommendations made today by the Queensland Productivity Commission will keep the community safe while moving away from a failed punitive justice model, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Human Rights Day: ALA urges individuals to protect their rights & freedoms
10th Dec 2019Legislation is increasingly being used to erode individual rights and freedoms in Australia says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) on Human Rights Day 2019.
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Letting insurance companies change CTP will cost Queenslanders more
8th Dec 2019RACQ’s Re-Think CTP campaign for a no fault scheme isn’t re-thinking anything new, says Greg Spinda, QLD State President, ALA.
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SA abortion laws outdated: Politicians urged to accept SA Law Reform Institute recommendations
6th Dec 2019Recommendations to reform outdated abortion laws, made by the South Australian Law Reform Institute in a report released this week, have been welcomed by the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) in SA.
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VIC Workcover report highlights systemic failings in the system
3rd Dec 2019The Victorian Ombudsman’s report into Workcover released today, which found that insurance agents are unfairly denying claims, highlights the need for urgent improvement to the scheme according to the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Class action group funding legislation will improve access to justice, says ALA
27th Nov 2019New legislation introduced in Victorian Parliament today which allows lawyers to charge a percentage of the settlement in a successful class action - with approval from the Supreme Court - will help more people access the legal system, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Independent complaints tribunal needed to hold aged care facilities to account
27th Nov 2019The introduction of an independent tribunal to hear complaints of substandard care with the power to issue fines and order monetary compensation would help hold the aged care sector to account, said the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) today at the Aged Care Royal Commission public consultation session in Newcastle.
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Civil and criminal law both needed to ban conversion therapy
19th Nov 2019Conversion practices that seek to change an individual’s sexual orientation should be regulated by a combination of criminal law and civil law, says the ALA.
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Proposed anti-protest laws are authoritarian and are an attack on democracy, says ALA
15th Nov 2019Anti-protest laws tabled in Tasmanian parliament yesterday are deeply authoritarian and are an attack on democracy, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Deputy State Coroner recommendations re personal drug use will save lives
8th Nov 2019The number of people harmed or killed by drug use will be reduced if the Deputy State Coroner’s recommendations regarding personal drug use are implemented, and governments around Australia, not just NSW, must revamp drug laws to save lives says the Australian Lawyers Alliance.
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Redraft of aged care law needed to improve care
30th Oct 2019The Aged Care Act 1997 needs to be rewritten to improve safety and quality in aged care says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) ahead of the release of the preliminary report of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.
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ALA welcomes repeal of begging offence
30th Oct 2019The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has welcomed the decision by the State Government to make changes to the Police Offences Act 1935 that will remove the offence of begging.
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Jeremy King appointed new VIC ALA President
28th Oct 2019Robinson Gill Principal, Jeremy King, has been appointed as the Victorian State President of the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Medevac laws must not be repealed, says ALA
26th Oct 2019The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) calls upon the Australian government to reject the repeal of Australia’s medevac laws.
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ALA calls on Australian Government to bring Julian Assange back to Australia
26th Oct 2019Passing a motion at its national conference today, the ALA resolved to call for the Australian Government to do all it can to bring Julian Assange back to Australia and to resist attempts by the US to extradite him.
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Greg Barns wins ALA Member of the Year award
25th Oct 2019High profile Tasmanian barrister, Greg Barns, has been awarded the 2019 Australian Lawyers Alliance’s (ALA) Member of the Year Award.
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George Newhouse wins 2019 ALA Civil Justice Award
25th Oct 2019A lawyer who uses his skills and expertise to make a significant difference to the lives of vulnerable people, including asylum seekers and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, has received the 2019 Australian Lawyers Alliance’s (ALA) Civil Justice Award.
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ALA launches Reconciliation Action Plan at national conference
25th Oct 2019The Australian Lawyers Alliance’s (ALA) first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) was launched today at the organisation’s annual national conference.
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ACCS consultation welcome to better assist injured Victorian workers
18th Oct 2019Consultation to improve processes for injured workers, including through the Accident Compensation Conciliation Service (ACCS), has been welcomed by the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) in Victoria.
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'Robodebt’ practices are flawed and causing harm, ALA tells senate committee
9th Oct 2019Centrelink’s Automatic Debt Raising and Recovery System, known as ‘robodebt’, is flawed and is causing serious harm in the community, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) told the Senate Community Affairs Committee inquiry into the Centrelink Compliance Program today.
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Proposed religious freedom reforms provide privilege not protection, say lawyers
27th Sep 2019The proposed religious freedom legislation needs substantial changes to be workable and fair, according to the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Lawyers call for free & accurate silicosis lung screening for all NSW stonemasons
20th Sep 2019All stonemasons in NSW need access to accurate and free lung screening for silicosis, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) told the Dust Diseases Scheme review panel this week.
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Australian human rights protections are fragile and flawed, says ALA
12th Sep 2019Recent events across Australia have highlighted how fragile and flawed our human rights protections are currently.
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ALA slams Place Names Bill: unnecessary and unjustified
11th Sep 2019The Place Names Bill introduced into State Parliament on Tuesday, which makes it an offence to misrepresent the name of a place, is an unnecessary and appalling piece of legislation, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Solitary confinement report shows alarming breach of duty of care: State liable for compensation
6th Sep 2019The state has breached its duty of care and could be liable for millions of dollars in compensation, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) in response to the alarming findings disclosed in the recent Victorian Ombudsman’s report into the use of solitary confinement in youth detention facilities.
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ALA calls for Collaery prosecution to be dropped
29th Aug 2019The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) is calling for the prosecution of Mr Bernard Collaery to be dropped, amidst increasing public outrage both in Australia and overseas.
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Proposed changes to medevac laws must be rejected, say lawyers
26th Aug 2019Proposed amendments to the Migration Amendment (Repairing Medical Transfers) Bill 2019 should be rejected, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Lawyers call for Media Freedom Act to protect ‘frank and fearless’ journalism
13th Aug 2019A Media Freedom Act would help address the current imbalance between national security laws and the important need to protect the independence of the media, said the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) in a submission to the parliamentary inquiry into media freedom.
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Collaery trial: process is not just or fair
6th Aug 2019The legal processes being employed to prosecute lawyer Bernard Collaery are not fair or just, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Lawyers welcome NSW Bill to remove abortion from Crimes Act
29th Jul 2019Moves to reform NSW’s outdated abortion laws are long overdue said the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA), giving its support to the Reproductive Health Care Reform Bill 2019 to be tabled in Parliament this week.
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Broad clause in ‘foreign fighters’ bill could impact journalists and whistleblowers, say lawyers
25th Jul 2019Journalists and whistleblowers could be adversely affected by the Counter Terrorism (Temporary Exclusion Orders) Bill 2019 that is now before the Senate, according to the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Pill testing: lawyers commend Hobart Council and call on state government to reconsider its position
23rd Jul 2019The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) today commended Hobart City Council’s decision to endorse pill testing at festivals.
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NAIDOC Week: ALA calls for Indigenous Legal Assistance Program to be retained
10th Jul 2019During NAIDOC Week, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) is joining the national peak body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (NATSILS) to call on the Federal Government to commit to retaining the Indigenous Legal Assistance Program (ILAP).
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NAIDOC Week: Government must enshrine First Nations voice in constitution
8th Jul 2019Enshrining a First Nations Voice in the constitution must be a priority for this government, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) amidst NAIDOC Week celebrations.
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Suburb lockdown: unprecedented abuse of power
2nd Jul 2019Suburb lockdowns are plainly an extraordinary abuse of power and there does not appear to be any precedent for this type of police operation in any other state or territory in Australia, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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New national president appointed as ALA celebrates 25 years
1st Jul 2019The new national president of the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) will take on the role from 1 July 2019 as the organisation celebrates its 25th anniversary.
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Government response to CTP review fails SA motorists
28th Jun 2019The government has failed car accident victims in SA by refusing to accept many of the recommendations from the review of the state’s CTP scheme.
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Police raids on journalists: very disturbing
5th Jun 2019The Australian Federal Police raids on a News Limited journalist yesterday and the ABC today are very disturbing attempts to harass and bully journalists and their sources, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance.
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Police raid on journalist’s home threatens democracy, say lawyers
4th Jun 2019The law must protect journalists and their sources from harassment by police and security agencies, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) commenting on today’s Australian Federal Police raid on News Limited journalist Annika Smethurst’s home.
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Age of criminal responsibility must be raised in current Youth Justice Amendment Bill
27th May 2019The age of criminal responsibility in the NT should have been raised as part of the Youth Justice and Related Legislation Amendment Bill 2019 that is currently under review, say lawyers.
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ALA says PM has unique opportunity to enshrine First Nations Voice in constitution
27th May 2019Prime Minister Scott Morrison has a unique opportunity to work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to move towards enshrining a First Nations Voice in the constitution, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Drug driving laws are unfair and not supported by science, say lawyers
24th May 2019Current drug driving testing laws are not supported by science and are not fair to drivers who can lose their license with no evidence of impaired driving.
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Lawyers say voluntary assisted dying scheme is consistent with current laws that allow a patient to refuse treatment
21st May 2019The introduction of a voluntary assisted dying scheme in Queensland, which allows eligible people to self-administer medication that will end their lives, is consistent with existing laws that prioritise patient autonomy and would enable people to die in a dignified manner, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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ALA calls for parties to commit to increased funding for community legal services
16th May 2019In the lead up to the federal election, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has called on the major parties to commit to significantly increasing funding for community legal services.
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Treatment of young people in detention is a national crisis, say lawyers
13th May 2019Tonight’s Four Corners episode showing children locked up in adult watch-houses in Queensland makes it clear that Australia is failing in its duty of care to young people, according to the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Lawyers support NSW Pro-Choice Alliance
9th May 2019Abortion should be regulated like any other health procedure says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA), joining the NSW Pro-Choice Alliance’s call to remove abortion from the NSW Crimes Act.
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Huge impact of asylum seeker work recognised with ALA’s VIC justice award
3rd May 2019The Human Rights Law Centre (HRLC) and the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) have jointly won the Australian Lawyers Alliance’s (ALA) 2019 Victorian Civil Justice Award for their work to ensure that asylum seekers receive appropriate medical care.
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Federal budget offers little good news for delivery of justice
3rd Apr 2019The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) says the federal budget delivered last night provides little good news for the delivery of justice in Australia.
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ALA condemns government failure to act on ATSI justice report
1st Apr 2019The ALA has joined with other professional legal bodies to condemn the government’s failure to act on the ‘Pathways to Justice’ report
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ALA calls for federal budget commitment to community legal services
1st Apr 2019In the lead up the to the federal budget announcement, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has called on the government to significantly increase funding for community legal services.
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Canadian court ruling confirms solitary confinement is a ‘cruel and unusual’ punishment
28th Mar 2019A Canadian court ruling this week which will allow compensation to be paid to prisoners who were placed in solitary confinement for long periods of time could have ramifications for the Australian prison system, according to the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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National security legislation is being misused to prevent a fair trial in Collaery case
27th Mar 2019The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) is alarmed by reports that national security legislation is being misused and causing protracted delays in the prosecution of Witness K and Collaery.
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Canberra legal community condemns Barr Government’s unfair CTP scheme
20th Mar 2019The Presidents of the ACT Bar Association (Steve Whybrow) and the ACT Law Society (Chris Donohue) and the ACT Director of the Australian Lawyers Alliance (Jamie Ronald) today expressed their dismay and frustration that the ACT Government is continuing to push through its flawed CTP scheme.
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Lawyers urge SA government to implement fairer compensation scheme for injured motorists
13th Mar 2019Lawyers in SA are calling on the state government to urgently adopt recommendations that will provide fairer compensation to people injured in car accidents.
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Power to Prevent: Urgent Actions Needed to Stop Sexual Harassment at Work
28th Feb 2019Together with 100 other organisations we’ve made a joint submission to the Australian Human Rights inquiry into sexual harassment calling for urgent reforms to end sexual harassment in the workplace.
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QLD Human Rights Act sets positive example for federal rights charter
27th Feb 2019The Queensland Human Rights Act passed by Parliament today is an important step forward for the state, but also highlights the lack of human rights protections across the rest of our country, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Annette Mason legal team wins 2019 ALA QLD Civil Justice Award
15th Feb 2019The legal team that fought to find the truth for the family of murdered Annette Mason has been presented with the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) 2019 Queensland Civil Justice Award (CJA) in recognition of their unwavering commitment to the pursuit of justice.
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ALA response to new information in VIC Royal Commission into the Management of Informants
7th Feb 2019The alleged actions of both the police and the informants involved in the Royal Commission into the Management of Informants have undermined faith in our justice system, according to the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Lawyers call on TAS Government to support pill-testing: current policies are failing
6th Feb 2019Politicians need to take advice from health professionals, not police, on the question of pill testing, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today following reservations expressed by Health Minister Michael Ferguson.
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ALA urges QLD Government to pass Bill of Rights legislation
5th Feb 2019The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) welcomed the Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee’s recommendation to pass the Queensland Bill of Rights saying that the legislation is expected to improve the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in society.
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Banking RC recommendations address unfair insurance practices
5th Feb 2019The Banking Royal Commission report contains several specific recommendations that will ‘level the playing field’ for consumers, which has been skewed against them for too long, and will deter industry misconduct, said the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Draft FSC Code of Practice still fails to prevent harmful surveillance and excessive trawling of customers’ medical records
24th Jan 2019The draft Life Insurance Code of Practice tabled by the Financial Services Council (FSC) still fails to adequately protect consumers from excessive scrutiny of their medical records, harmful surveillance and forced ‘doctor-shopping’, according to the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Lawyers call on NSW Government to support pill-testing: current policies are failing
23rd Jan 2019Criminal and law enforcement responses to the use of illicit drugs at music festivals are failing, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today in a letter sent to the NSW Premier calling for the implementation of pill testing trials.
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Draft life insurance code of practice still ‘lacks teeth’ says plaintiff lawyers
22nd Jan 2019The draft life insurance Code of Practice tabled by the Financial Services Council (FSC) is still not legally binding and does not deliver on key issues raised in the Financial Services Royal Commission, according to the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Injured South Australians at risk after MAC CTP claims transferred to Berkshire Hathaway
15th Dec 2018Plaintiff lawyers in South Australia say the transfer of the Motor Accident Commission’s CTP claims back book has put injured South Australians at risk.
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Human Rights Day: a reminder to focus on the need for a national charter of human rights
10th Dec 2018As Human Rights Day is celebrated globally, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) today reiterated calls for a national charter of human rights in Australia.
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ALA welcomes VIC Royal Commission
5th Dec 2018The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has welcomed the Royal Commission into the conduct of the police force and its use of a criminal defence barrister as an informant.
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Indigenous Voice to Parliament must be our constitutional priority: ALA
30th Nov 2018The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has welcomed the parliamentary report that supports constitutional recognition for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament.
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ALA welcomes appointment of new VIC Attorney-General
30th Nov 2018The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) welcomes the appointment of Ms Jill Hennessy MP as the new Attorney-General in Victoria.
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QLD Bill of Rights will make a substantial difference but improvements could make it stronger, say lawyers
28th Nov 2018The Queensland Bill of Rights legislation will make a substantial difference to the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in our society, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA), but there are opportunities to make the Bill stronger and more effective.
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Lawyers point to hypocrisy in insurer calls for Queensland CTP reform
27th Nov 2018The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has strongly criticised calls from RACQ and Suncorp for changes to Queensland’s Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance scheme that would see less benefits for injured motorists.
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Lawyers support TAS Greens’ pill testing Bill
22nd Nov 2018The ALA has given its support to the Tasmanian Greens’ Misuse of Drugs Amendment (Drug Analysis) Bill 2018 being tabled today.
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Plaintiff lawyers call for amendments to Sex Discrimination Act
20th Nov 2018The national peak body for plaintiff lawyers has called for the removal of exemptions in the Sex Discrimination Act so that every child can safely attend any school without experiencing discrimination based on their sexuality or gender orientation.
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Urgent reform needed to prevent insurers unfairly denying claims, says ALA
6th Nov 2018Insurers must be prevented from unfairly denying claims based on unrelated pre-existing health conditions and restricted from accessing medical records dating back more than five years prior to the policy inception, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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TAS police charging fees for evidence is outrageous and unfair, say lawyers
2nd Nov 2018Tasmanians are being billed by police to view the evidence of their criminal and traffic offence charges which is both unfair and out of line with the rest of Australia, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Injured drivers will not be fairly compensated under proposed ACT MAI Bill
1st Nov 2018The proposed ACT Motor Accidents Insurance (MAI) Bill will not provide proper compensation to injured motorists and will shift the balance of power in favour of the insurers, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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QLD Bill of Rights is the strongest human rights charter in Australia, says ALA
31st Oct 2018The Queensland Bill of Rights legislation is expected to improve the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in our society, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Insurance within superannuation is valuable but clear ratings system needed, says ALA
29th Oct 2018Clear facts-sheets and a ratings system are needed to make it easier for consumers to understand the costs and benefits of the death and disability insurance within their superannuation, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Comment on National Apology
22nd Oct 2018“As the Government officially apologises to the many people who have suffered as a result of institutional sexual assault, we also acknowledge their pain and their courage,” said Ms Noor Blumer, President, Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Advocate for Timor-Leste people – Bernard Collaery – wins national justice award
19th Oct 2018Lawyer Bernard Collaery has won the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) 2018 Civil Justice Award, recognising his work in fighting for justice for the Timor-Leste people.
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Dr Andrew Morrison RFD SC wins ALA Member of the Year Award
19th Oct 2018Barrister Dr Andrew Morrison RFD SC has been named the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) 2018 Member of the Year acknowledging his years of tireless advocacy for justice.
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Amendments to National Redress Scheme essential to ensure fair access to justice
10th Oct 2018Amendments to the National Redress Scheme are required to ensure that all survivors of abuse have fair access to justice, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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ALA welcomes appointment of new WA Solicitor General
4th Oct 2018The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) welcomes the appointment of Mr Joshua Thomson SC as the new Solicitor General of Western Australia.
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Long delays and complex bureaucracy limiting fair access to NDIS
3rd Oct 2018Extensive delays, complex bureaucracy and difficulties surrounding the appeals and review process are making it impossible for people to have fair and equal access to the NDIS in NSW, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Social justice concerns on the agenda at ALA National Conference
3rd Oct 2018Almost 200 personal injury and criminal lawyers, academics and other professionals will meet in Melbourne on 18 October for the two-day Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) National Conference.
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Institutions will be held liable for abuse ‘on their watch’, thanks to new civil litigation laws
26th Sep 2018The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has welcomed the new NSW civil litigation laws which will remove barriers that have prevented child sexual abuse survivors receiving justice.
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Road accident victims in VIC benefit from changes to Transport Accident Act
24th Sep 2018People injured in motor vehicle or cycling accidents on Victorian roads, and their families, will have better access to compensation after amendments to the Transport Accident Act (TAA) passed the Victorian Parliament late last week.
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Lawyers welcome review of WA asset confiscation laws
21st Sep 2018The review of the WA asset confiscation laws, announced recently by the Attorney General, has been welcomed by the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Aged Care Royal Commission must examine complaints mechanisms
19th Sep 2018The Aged Care Royal Commission must examine the existing complaints process and determine how to ensure complaints result in systemic change, say lawyers.
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Proposed anti-consorting law goes too far: ALA submits alternative form of legislation
19th Sep 2018The proposed anti-consorting law introduced into the Tasmanian Parliament yesterday goes too far and is a violation of individual rights,
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ALA welcomes Royal Commission investigation into mental health discrimination by insurers
10th Sep 2018The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has welcomed the decision by the banking Royal Commission to call for more information into the issue of mental health discrimination by insurers.
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No detention facility should be exempt from OPCAT, say lawyers
30th Aug 2018No type of detention facility should be exempt from independent inspections under the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment (OPCAT), the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has recommended in a submission to the Australian Human Rights Commission.
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ALA supports Law Council Justice Project’s call for investment in community legal services
29th Aug 2018Investing substantial funds into community legal assistance services and reviewing the resourcing needs of the whole judiciary system, as recommended by the Law Council of Australia’s Justice Project, will help make Australia’s legal system significantly more accessible, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Revisions to NSW CTP scheme are failing injured motorists
23rd Aug 2018Lawyers are urging the State Regulatory Insurance Authority (SIRA) to urgently publish data regarding complaints against insurance companies made by injured motorists since changes to the NSW CTP scheme were introduced.
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Lawyers call for children to be freed from Nauru: ‘Australia is responsible for their health & wellbeing’
22nd Aug 2018Australia has a legal and moral obligation to free and resettle the children in detention on Nauru, say lawyers.
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ALA joins #KidsOffNauru campaign
22nd Aug 2018The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has joined the call to remove children from detention on Nauru before Universal Children’s Day on 20 November.
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Lawyers say more needs to be done to protect cosmetic surgery consumers
15th Aug 2018More needs to be done to ensure the satisfaction and safety of cosmetic surgery consumers and to help them seek redress when something goes wrong, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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ALA in WA opposes ‘claims harvesting’
8th Aug 2018Unsolicited direct approaches by claims harvesters to accident victims is strongly opposed by the peak industry body for plaintiff lawyers in WA, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Modern Slavery Act lacks authority to stamp out abusive labour practices
6th Aug 2018The proposed Modern Slavery Act lacks the authority to effectively combat modern slavery or forced labour practices, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has told the Inquiry into the Modern Slavery Bill (2018).
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ALA welcomes appointment of new WA Chief Justice
2nd Aug 2018The ALA welcomes the appointment of Mr Peter Quinlan SC as the new Chief Justice of Western Australia.
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My Health Record: lawyers warn of system abuse and call for privacy protection in law
28th Jul 2018My Health Record will have undoubted medical benefits but the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) is concerned that access to the data will be abused and says legislation changes are needed now.
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Lawyers welcome Queensland Government move to put the brakes on claims farming
24th Jul 2018The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has welcomed today’s announcement by the Queensland Government that it plans to crack down on practices known as ‘claims farming’.
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ALA warns mobility scooters may be ‘falling through gaps’ in insurance cover
23rd Jul 2018Mobility scooters are vital for many people with disabilities enabling them to be independent and active participants in our community but can currently ‘fall through the gaps’ in the insurance system, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.
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Criminal law system is failing victims of sexual assault: ALA says issue is more than ‘consent’
16th Jul 2018The Australian Lawyers Alliance has called on the NSW Law Reform Commission to consider the use of restorative justice processes in its review of NSW sexual assault laws.
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ALA backs Uluru Statement
29th Jun 2018The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has endorsed the Uluru Statement from the Heart as the organisation’s new president, Ms Noor Blumer, commences in her role.
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Collaery charges are concerning
28th Jun 2018The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has expressed concern at the decision to file criminal charges against ACT lawyer, Bernard Collaery.
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ALA opposes ‘claims-harvesting’
25th Jun 2018Unsolicited contact from lawyers to accident victims is strongly opposed by the peak industry body for plaintiff lawyers, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Proposed Prohibited Insignia Bill must be fought
21st Jun 2018The Prohibited Insignia Bill introduced into Tasmanian Parliament today violates human rights and threatens principles of democracy, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Refugee Protection Bill is far better policy than current inhumane treatment of asylum seekers
18th Jun 2018The Refugee Protection Bill introduced into Parliament today by Andrew Wilkie MP would ensure a far safer and more humane response to people seeking asylum, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Death on Nauru prompts calls from lawyers for urgent government action
15th Jun 2018Read More‘Cruel, inhumane and unsafe environment’: death on Nauru prompts calls from lawyers for urgent government action.
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Lawyers call for inquiry into mental health insurance discrimination
15th Jun 2018The ALA is urging the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry to investigate discrimination by insurers on the basis of mental health.
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The National Redress Scheme
13th Jun 2018The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual abuse recommended that a National Redress Scheme be established to provide compensation to those affected.
Read the ALA's most recent submission, media and policy on this topic.
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ALA welcomes improved access to justice for child sexual abuse survivors
12th Jun 2018NSW has advanced the position of victims significantly by adopting legal changes that will apply retrospectively and will improve access to justice for abuse survivors, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA), commenting on the announcement made by the NSW government on the weekend.
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Road accident victims will benefit: lawyers welcome amendments to Transport Accident Act
7th Jun 2018Amendments to the Transport Accident Act introduced to Parliament today bring the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) a step closer to being the world’s leading social insurer, according to the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Visa delay for Festival keynote speaker threatens freedom of speech
6th Jun 2018Using migration law to restrict freedom of speech is simply not acceptable, said the Australian Lawyers Alliance today commenting on the delay in granting Dark + Dangerous Thoughts speaker a visa to enter Australia.
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Limited access to National Redress Scheme is just not fair, says Australian Lawyers Alliance
30th May 2018People with past criminal convictions or abused in immigration detention should not be denied access to redress payments under the National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sex Abuse, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Failure to fund CLCs will hamstring justice
15th May 2018The Commonwealth’s failure to increase funding to resources-strapped Community Legal Centres (CLCs) means that people with legitimate personal injury or compensation claims are more likely than ever to simply give up on seeking justice through the legal system, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Legal service for women in need wins 2018 ALA Vic CJA
7th May 2018A first-of-its-kind legal practice specifically for women who are in or at risk of entering the criminal justice system has been presented with the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) 2018 Victoria Civil Justice Award (CJA).
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Billion-dollar Vic Budget boost will increase access to justice
1st May 2018A major funding increase for mental health services and the justice system, announced in today’s Budget, will help to support some of the most vulnerable members of our society, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Former Victorian Supreme Court Chief Justice to speak at state law con
27th Apr 2018Former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria, the Hon Marilyn L Warren AC QC, will be the keynote speaker at the upcoming Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) annual Victoria State Conference being held at the seaside town of Lorne next week.
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Proposed anti-bikie laws infringe on basic rights
26th Apr 2018Tasmanian Police have today released a consultation paper flagging so-called anti-bikie laws, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Alleged assault by police on disability pensioner extremely concerning
4th Apr 2018Footage showing an alleged brutal assault by a number of Victoria police officers on a vulnerable, unarmed disability pensioner is extremely disturbing, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Media coverage, April 2018
1st Apr 2018Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of April, 2018.
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C'wealth chooses its balance sheet over compensation for abuse survivo
29th Mar 2018The Department of Home Affairs has pushed to exclude non-citizens from any eligibility for redress for institutional child abuse as it says its ‘financial exposure to liability under the Redress Scheme is likely to increase significantly’, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.
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Visa cancellation review could lead to ministerial abuses of power
15th Mar 2018Plans by the federal government to examine reviews of visa cancellations made on criminal grounds could put Australian children at risk, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Many NSW, VIC survivors of institutional child abuse blocked from just
9th Mar 2018Unnecessarily strict eligibility requirements mean that many of the most vulnerable survivors of institutional child abuse in New South Wales and Victoria will miss out on accessing the Commonwealth’s Redress Scheme, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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NSW Court of Appeal Justice Mark Leeming headlining law conference
8th Mar 2018Justice of the NSW Court of Appeal, The Hon Justice Mark Leeming, is the keynote speaker at the upcoming Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) annual NSW State Conference being held in Manly next week.
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Media coverage, March 2018
1st Mar 2018Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of March, 2018.
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Women’s rights activist wins 2018 ALA QLD Civil Justice Award
16th Feb 2018A lawyer who has consistently fought for the rights of some of the most marginalised and disadvantaged women in the criminal justice system has been presented with the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) 2018 Queensland Civil Justice Award (CJA).
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Lawyers slam secret threats made by RACQ
15th Feb 2018The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has slammed secret threats made by RACQ to pull out of Queensland’s Compulsory Third party (CTP) insurance scheme, as reported in today’s Courier Mail.
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Lawyers back Senate call for protections for whistleblowers, journali
7th Feb 2018Legislative protection for journalists, free speech and whistleblowers is a crucial step in ensuring that public interest journalism can survive and even thrive, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Govt plans to deny compensation to children abused in immigration dete
7th Feb 2018The federal government’s proposed redress scheme for survivors of institutional child sexual abuse will exclude the most vulnerable victims of abuse, conflicting with the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and saving the government money, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Former High Court Justice Ian Callinan AC to speak at QLD law conferen
7th Feb 2018Former Justice of the High Court of Australia, the Hon Justice Ian Callinan AC, will be the keynote speaker at the upcoming Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) annual QLD State Conference being held on the Gold Coast later this month.
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Media coverage, February 2018
1st Feb 2018Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of February, 2018.
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‘Minority Report’ laws could mean jail before you break the law
24th Jan 2018People could be jailed for crimes before they have had the chance to actually break the law under proposed Commonwealth national security reforms, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Media coverage, January 2018
1st Jan 2018Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of January, 2018.
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Ratifying OPCAT treaty must keep offshore detainees safe
20th Dec 2017The Commonwealth’s ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT) this week is a significant step forward in the protection of human rights in Australia and those of asylum seekers held in its detention facilities. To fully implement its obligations, the government must extend OPCAT’s application to offshore detention facilities, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Catholic Church defence of child abuse claim flies in face of justice
11th Dec 2017The Catholic Church’s vigorous court defence of claims of historical child sexual abuse has exposed its earlier promises not to exploit legal technicalities as completely worthless, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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SSM laws a momentous moment for equality in Australia
8th Dec 2017The new law legalising same-sex marriage in Australia marks a watershed moment for individual rights and freedom before the law, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Media coverage, December 2017
1st Dec 2017Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of December, 2017.
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Banking Royal Commission mustn’t be just a paper tiger
30th Nov 2017It is crucial that any Royal Commission into the banking sector has sufficiently broad terms of reference to deal with the full extent of issues which may be uncovered relating to banking misconduct, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Manus Island crisis must be resolved immediately
24th Nov 2017The Australian government is placing refugees and asylum seekers on Manus Island at serious risk and must find an immediate solution to their plight, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Threatening journalists with jail does not serve the public interest
23rd Nov 2017Laws that prohibit reporting on the actions of governments to ensure that they operate within the law undermine democracy, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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‘Yes’ vote on SSM survey supports equal access to rights for all
15th Nov 2017The decisive ‘Yes’ result in Australia’s recent same-sex marriage survey is a vindication of the importance of equal access to rights for all, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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UN body recommends urgent action to remedy Australia’s human rights
10th Nov 2017The UN Human Rights Committee has today slammed Australia’s human rights record, recommending the implementation of ‘comprehensive federal legislation’ to guarantee human rights, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Media coverage, November 2017
1st Nov 2017Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of November, 2017.
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Government must act urgently to prevent humanitarian crisis on Manus
31st Oct 2017Closing Manus Island detention centre without ensuring that residents have a safe place to go presents an urgent risk of a humanitarian crisis, directly conflicting with Australia’s obligations under work health and safety legislation and international law, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Draconian counter-terror laws must be repealed
30th Oct 2017Draconian counter-terrorism powers such as warrantless searches and preventative detention orders do little to enhance security and serve only to further marginalise people, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Child abuse redress scheme is welcome, but needs improvement
26th Oct 2017The Federal government’s proposed redress scheme for survivors of institutional child abuse will be welcomed by the community, however it needs improvement to provide justice for all people affected, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Andrew Stone SC: ALA Member of the Year
23rd Oct 2017Barrister Andrew Stone SC has been named the inaugural ALA Member of the Year for his years of standing up for the rights of motor accident victims, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Montara oil spill crusaders win national legal award
23rd Oct 2017Two people who spent months in a remote Indonesian province while seeking justice for victims of an Australian oil spill have been presented with the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) 2017 Civil Justice Award.
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Voluntary euthanasia laws provide certainty for terminally-ill people
20th Oct 2017Voluntary euthanasia laws passed today by the lower house of the Victorian parliament will ensure much needed legal oversight and certainty for people in need, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Productivity Commission finding to delay NDIS rollout is the right cal
19th Oct 2017The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has welcomed the Productivity Commission’s call to delay the rollout of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), saying that there are concerns about the pace of the scheme’s implementation.
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Australia’s human rights record comes under UN scrutiny
17th Oct 2017Australia’s approach to implementing and protecting human rights will be scrutinised by a United Nations (UN) committee this week, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Lawyers welcome new industrial manslaughter laws in Queensland
13th Oct 2017The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has welcomed tough new workplace safety laws passed by Queensland’s State Parliament last night.
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‘Driverless cars and the law’ on the agenda at ALA conference
4th Oct 2017If a driverless car is involved in an accident, who is at fault? These and other questions will be hot topics of discussion at the upcoming Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) annual National Conference being held in Darwin this month.
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Media coverage, October 2017
1st Oct 2017Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of October, 2017.
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No evidence of link between national security and citizenship
6th Sep 2017There is no evidence that proposed changes to the process of gaining Australian citizenship would improve the country’s national security, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Same-sex marriage is a matter of equality
6th Sep 2017Equality demands that we all have the right to marry who we choose, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Media coverage, September 2017
1st Sep 2017Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of September, 2017.
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Minister seeks to evade the law by criticising refugee advocates
30th Aug 2017By criticising lawyers seeking to assist refugees and asylum seekers, Minister Dutton is seeking to evade the government’s responsibilities, undermining accountability and the rule of law, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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QLD CTP proposal slammed by lawyer group as insurer greed
27th Aug 2017The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has strongly criticised calls from Suncorp and RACQ for changes to Queensland’s Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance scheme that would see less benefits for injured motorists.
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Community to help improve CTP in Canberra
23rd Aug 2017The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has today welcomed Chief Minister Barr’s announcement that the ACT’s first citizen’s jury would soon be arranged to consider reform to the Territory’s Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance scheme.
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Lawyers welcome amendments to introduce tougher penalties and offences
23rd Aug 2017The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has today welcomed legislative changes introduced into the Queensland Parliament to strengthen the State’s work, health and safety laws, including tougher penalties and offences for workplace fatalities.
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Child abuse RC report into criminal justice helpful but falls short in
15th Aug 2017The recommendations contained in the report into criminal justice released yesterday by the Royal Commission into institutional child abuse are helpful in many respects but have fallen short in some key areas, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Relaxation of dangerous secrecy laws in Border Force Act is welcome
14th Aug 2017The Commonwealth’s move to amend the Border Force Act by removing outrageous secrecy provisions for detention camp employees is a welcome but overdue move, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Commonwealth ignoring the law by evicting Manus Island refugees
2nd Aug 2017Comcare must act immediately to ensure that the Commonwealth does not breach workplace safety laws by forcing people out of the Manus Island detention centre into unsafe, or potentially dangerous accommodation, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Govt superannuation proposals recognise value of life insurance in sup
2nd Aug 2017Proposed Commonwealth legislation to regulate superannuation-linked life insurance products will help restore public confidence in the industry, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Media coverage, August 2017
1st Aug 2017Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of August, 2017.
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Human rights protections must be part of national security review
21st Jul 2017Federal government proposals to combine Australian security agencies into a single ‘national security super-agency’ must also include strengthened human rights protections for all people in Australia, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Media coverage, July 2017
1st Jul 2017Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of July, 2017.
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Compensation for Manus detainees is welcome but they still need a home
14th Jun 2017The implicit admission by the Commonwealth that it is responsible for the unlawful suffering of nearly 2000 asylum seekers on Manus Island means that they must be evacuated from the island as soon as possible, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Terror law arms race will not increase safety
13th Jun 2017Introducing ever-more draconian anti-terror legislation will not make Australians safer and may actually increase the risk of another terror incident, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Ministers’ criticism of judiciary in terrorism cases undermines sepa
13th Jun 2017Commonwealth Ministers’ criticism of Victorian terrorism rulings is extremely concerning, as it attacks the fundamental separation of powers underpinning the Australian system of justice, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Tougher parole conditions for terror prisoners reduces chances of reha
9th Jun 2017Making it harder for a person convicted of terror offences to get parole will merely increase the risk that they will reoffend when eventually released, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Maximum security detention for terror suspects just adds fuel to the f
8th Jun 2017Politicians calling to restrict parole for people convicted of terror offences would do better to examine the link between harsh conditions in detention and increasing the likelihood of radicalisation, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Media coverage, June 2017
1st Jun 2017Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of June 2017.
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QLD lawyers welcome new workplace offence of negligence causing death
19th May 2017The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has today welcomed a Queensland Government plan to introduce a new offence of ‘negligence causing death’ which it said will significantly strengthen regulation and compliance around workplace health and safety in the state.
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UN migrants expert calls for Australian human rights act
17th May 2017The call by a United Nations (UN) expert for an Australian human rights act reminds us that fundamental human rights in Australia are not protected by a Bill of Rights, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service wins ALA VIC Civil Justice Award
15th May 2017A legal service responsible for vulnerable Aboriginal children being transferred from adult prison back into youth detention facilities has been presented with the Victorian Civil Justice Award (CJA), the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Many hits, some misses in Federal budget
10th May 2017Federal budget commitments to sustainably fund the NDIS, scrap funding cuts to community legal support, increase bank accountability and fund a redress scheme for survivors of institutional sexual abuse have been welcomed today by the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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State legal conference comes to Bendigo
9th May 2017Victorian Ombudsman Deborah Glass OBE will be the keynote speaker at the upcoming Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) annual Victorian Conference being held in Bendigo this Friday.
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Victorian Budget is a billion-dollar investment in community safety
3rd May 2017A billion-dollar investment in community safety by the Andrews government will protect thousands of women and children in Victoria from the damage caused by family or domestic violence, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Media coverage, May 2017
1st May 2017Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of May 2017.
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Lawyers welcome damning report from offshore detention inquiry
21st Apr 2017A Senate Report stating that there is an “unacceptable lack of accountability and transparency” and a “culture of secrecy” on Nauru and Manus Island was released today.
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Lawyers concerned for health of PNG detainee
20th Apr 2017The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has today expressed serious concerns regarding the health of an asylum seeker in PNG who has had his refugee application rejected.
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Media coverage, April 2017
1st Apr 2017Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of April 2017.
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QLD lawyers welcome Walter Sofronoff QC as new President of the Court
31st Mar 2017The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has today welcomed the appointment of Walter Sofronoff QC as Queensland’s new President of the Court of Appeal.
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Disingenuous insurer seeking to undermine QLD CTP review process
20th Mar 2017The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has today called out the actions of Queensland insurer RACQ as a disingenuous attempt to undermine the important review process currently underway into Queensland’s Comprehensive Third Party (CTP) scheme.
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National law reform needed to guarantee justice for survivors of child
17th Mar 2017Comprehensive law reform is urgently required to ensure that survivors of child abuse are not unfairly prevented from accessing compensation, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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CTP reform, Justice McClellan to headline NSW law conference
14th Mar 2017Chair of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse The Hon. Justice Peter McClellan AM, will be the keynote speaker at the upcoming Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) annual NSW Conference being held at Darling Harbour this Friday.
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Media coverage, March 2017
1st Mar 2017Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of March 2017.
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Racial discrimination laws no threat to free speech
28th Feb 2017A review into Australia’s Racial Discrimination Act has shown that the country’s racial discrimination laws are working well and that there is no reason to alter the current legislation, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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QLD govt must join national redress scheme for child abuse survivors
24th Feb 2017The Queensland Government must publicly commit to opting in to the Federal Government’s redress scheme for survivors of institutional child abuse, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Privatising workers comp puts SA workers’ rights up for sale
23rd Feb 2017Handing control of the South Australian workers compensation scheme to private insurers would prioritise insurer profits ahead of injured workers’ rights, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Human rights lawyers win 2017 ALA Queensland Civil Justice Award
20th Feb 2017Three lawyers who successfully fought for improvements in medical care for people being held in Australian offshore detention facilities following the death of a detainee been presented with the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) Queensland 2017 Civil Justice Award (CJA).
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Human rights lawyers win 2017 ALA QLD Civil Justice Award
20th Feb 2017Three lawyers who successfully fought for improvements in medical care for people being held in Australian offshore detention facilities following the death of a detainee been presented with the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) Queensland 2017 Civil Justice Award (CJA).
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Torture treaty ratification could open offshore detention to internati
10th Feb 2017Ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT) has the potential to radically improve conditions in detention in Australia and offshore, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Father Frank Brennan to speak at Qld law conference
10th Feb 2017Catholic priest and human rights lawyer Father Frank Brennan SJ AO will be the keynote speaker at the upcoming Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) annual Queensland Conference being held on the Gold Coast next week.
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Media coverage, February 2017
1st Feb 2017Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of February 2017.
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Vic juvenile detention changes create risk of torture and ill treatmen
27th Jan 2017Placing Corrections Victoria staff from adult jails in charge of juvenile inmates could lead to situations similar to those exposed in the Don Dale juvenile detention Royal Commission, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Media coverage, January 2017
1st Jan 2017Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of January 2017.
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Children illegally kept in adult jail may be entitled to bring claims
21st Dec 2016Children who are being detained in adult jails may be entitled to bring a claim for false imprisonment, following a ruling in the Victorian Supreme Court, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Proposed criminal trial evidence reforms could jail the innocent: lawy
19th Dec 2016Proposals by the Royal Commission into child abuse to weaken the evidence rules and reduce the protections for the accused could irreparably undermine the rule of law in Australia, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Media coverage, December 2016
1st Dec 2016Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of December 2016.
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Australia in breach of migrant obligations and needs human rights act:
18th Nov 2016The UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants has called on Australia to implement binding migrant protections in the face of wide-ranging human rights infringements, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Queensland class-action Bill improves access to justice
9th Nov 2016The introduction of a class-action regime and removal of limitations periods for child sexual abuse in Queensland is a welcome development, which fixes a gap in state law and provides a greater path to justice for Queenslanders, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Lawyers applaud Commonwealth redress scheme, but note flaws
7th Nov 2016The redress scheme proposed by the Commonwealth government is a step in the right direction, although victims of institutional child sexual abuse will not receive justice if major flaws are not addressed, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Lawyers condemn plans to formalise arbitrary detention in Australia
4th Nov 2016The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security has today published a report recommending that Australia adopt the most draconian counter-terrorism laws in the world, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Code of Practice for super-based life insurance needed ASAP
3rd Nov 2016The proposed Superannuation Industry Working Group and development of a Code of Practice (CoP) for the life insurance component in superannuation is a welcome development, but one that should have occurred much sooner, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Media coverage, November 2016
1st Nov 2016Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of November 2016.
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Asylum-seeker ban may be unconstitutional
30th Oct 2016The Turnbull Government's proposal to ban any person who arrives by boat in Australian territory from exercising their right under the Refugees Convention to claim asylum is likely to be scrutinised critically by the High Court and could be ruled unconstitutional, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Lawyers call for resignation of Attorney-General George Brandis
26th Oct 2016The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has today called for the immediate resignation of Federal Attorney-General George Brandis, in light of this week's resignation of Solicitor-General Justin Gleeson SC.
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Knowmore legal service wins 2016 ALA Civil Justice Award
24th Oct 2016An organisation working day in and day out to provide independent, free legal advice and assistance to people who were victims of institutional child sexual abuse has been presented with the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) 2016 Civil Justice Award.
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Knowmore legal service wins 2016 ALA Civil Justice Award
24th Oct 2016An organisation working day in and day out to provide independent, free legal advice and assistance to people who were victims of institutional child sexual abuse has been presented with the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) 2016 Civil Justice Award.
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UN Human Rights expert condemns Australia’s secrecy laws
21st Oct 2016Read MoreThe Australian Government should heed concerns voiced by the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders about the constitutionality of Australian secrecy laws that stifle freedom of speech and fail to protect whistleblowers, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Federal Police must investigate govt treatment of offshore detainees
18th Oct 2016The evidence of crimes committed against asylum seekers being held on Manus and Nauru by the Turnbull Government is compelling and should be investigated immediately by the Federal Police, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Prof. Gillian Triggs to speak at national lawyers conference
14th Oct 2016Human Rights Commission President Professor Gillian Triggs will be the keynote speaker at the upcoming Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) annual National Conference being held in Port Douglas next week.
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Life insurance industry code of conduct fails the litmus test
12th Oct 2016A Code of Practice designed to regulate life insurance companies would still allow them to deny genuine claims, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Banking inquiry was just a paper tiger
7th Oct 2016The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has renewed its call for a Royal Commission into the Australian banking system after the parliamentary inquiry failed to properly examine the systemic issues plaguing the industry.
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Banking review lacks power and transparency
4th Oct 2016Identified failings in the sale of life insurance products by Australian banks will not be properly addressed unless the Australian Banking Association expands its review of product sales commissions and product based payments, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Media coverage, October 2016
1st Oct 2016Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of October 2016.
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Media coverage, September 2016
1st Sep 2016Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of September 2016.
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’Social media and Employment Law’ at annual law conference
24th Aug 2016The ramifications of employers taking legal action against staff for using social media will be a highlight of the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) annual ACT Conference this week.
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Comcare must prosecute for Nauru abuses
10th Aug 2016The Nauru files detailing large-scale abuse of detainees in offshore detention camps on Nauru show that Comcare, the Commonwealth workplace regulator, must prosecute for offences, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Queensland class action regime welcome
5th Aug 2016The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has today welcomed the State Government’s announcement that it will introduce a class actions regime, with the measure an important step in improving access to justice and legal rights in Queensland.
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ALA supports Montara class action
3rd Aug 2016A Federal Court class action today seeks to finally bring justice for thousands of Indonesians affected by an Australian oil spill in 2009.
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Police PTSD claims show insurers cannot be trusted - lawyers
2nd Aug 2016The experience of police officers claiming compensation for PTSD shows insurance companies need to be held to account, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Lawyers welcome removal of time limits for Qld child abuse claims
2nd Aug 2016ALA Queensland President Michelle James has welcomed new Queensland legislation to remove time limits on institutional abuse claims, saying it will give survivors renewed hope that they can access justice.
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Media coverage, August 2016
1st Aug 2016Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of August 2016.
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Martin’s resignation an opportunity to get Commission right: lawyers
1st Aug 2016The Australian Lawyers Alliance welcomes the decision of Brian Martin to stand down as Royal Commissioner into juvenile justice in the Northern Territory.
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Royal Commission terms of reference a missed opportunity - lawyers
28th Jul 2016The Australian Lawyers Alliance said today that the Turnbull Government had missed a once in a generation opportunity to deal with the inherent racism of the Australian legal system towards Indigenous people.
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High Court challenge to secrecy laws welcomed by lawyers
27th Jul 2016The Australian Border Force Act 2015 (Cth) undermines our constitutional freedoms. The Australian Lawyers Alliance supports Doctors for Refugees and Fitzroy Legal Service bringing this problem to the High Court.
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ALA welcomes Royal Commission announcement into children in detention
26th Jul 2016The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has today offered its strong support for the announcement of a Royal Commission into juvenile detention, following reports of appalling and sickening torture and ill treatment within juvenile detention in the Northern Territory.
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MEDIA ALERT: Lawyers oppose proposed changes to terror laws
25th Jul 2016The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) opposes the Turnbull Governments proposed preventative detention for terrorism offenders.
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Time limits must be removed on Qld abuse claims: ALA
25th Jul 2016The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has today supported calls for the removal of time limits on institutionalised abuse claims in Queensland.
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Media coverage, July 2016
1st Jul 2016Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of July 2016.
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CTP reform gives all power to insurers
29th Jun 2016The NSW Government has announced the intention to radically reform the NSW Green Slip scheme to limit benefits, ignore those with moderate-severity injuries, and exclude lawyers from representing 90% of the injured
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Criminal offences may have been committed by DIPB in offshore detentio
27th Jun 2016Criminal offences may have been committed by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIPB) or its contractors against people being held in immigration detention, according to a recent report released by the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Imprisoning mentally ill asylum seekers suggests offences committed
16th Jun 2016Reports that a mentally ill detainee on Manus Island was sent to prison instead of receiving medical treatment indicates that workplace health and safety law continues to be flouted in immigration detention.
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High Court terrorism ruling points to need for Constitutional reform
15th Jun 2016The High Court today ruled that a defendant charged with Commonwealth terrorism offences cannot opt for a trial by judge alone in the New South Wales Supreme Court.
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Lawyers call for independent inquiry into SA chemotherapy under-dosing
10th Jun 2016The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) have today called for an independent inquiry into incidents of chemotherapy under-dosing at the Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH).
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Comcare inaction on detention centre abuse shows need for law reform
8th Jun 2016Widespread sexual and physical abuse, self-harm, suicide attempts and deaths in immigration detention are not being adequately investigated, pointing to a need for legislative reform, according to a report released by the ALA this week.
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Immigration detention unsafe workplaces: ALA Report
6th Jun 2016Immigration detention facilities are unsafe workplaces, ALA Report finds.
The Australian Lawyers Alliance (‘ALA’) is today releasing a ground-breaking 150-page report, Untold damage: workplace health and safety in immigration detention under the Work, Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth), (‘WHS Act’).
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Media coverage, June 2016
1st Jun 2016Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of June 2016.
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Queensland now have Australia's fairest injury insurance scheme
26th May 2016Queenslanders will now have access to the best injury insurance scheme in the country, with a Bill passed today by State Parliament that will cover a current gap in coverage whilst also protecting rights.
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Group named winner of Victorian Civil Justice Award 2016
18th May 2016Advocacy group 'No Business in Abuse', which placed pressure on the public company contracted to run Australia’s offshore detention camps by targeting its investor base, has been named the winner of the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) Victoria 2016 Civil Justice Award.
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'No Business in Abuse’ named ALA VIC 2016 Civil Justice Award Winner
18th May 2016An advocacy group which placed pressure on the public company contracted to run Australia’s offshore detention camps by targeting its investor base has been named the winner of the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) Victoria 2016 Civil Justice Award.
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New TAC protocols to be announced at annual Victorian law conference
10th May 2016The launch of the long-awaited Transport Accident Commission (TAC) Protocols will be a highlight of the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) annual Victorian State Conference this week.
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QLD must act to remove time limits on legal claims for survivors of in
10th May 2016The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has today thrown its support behind calls within the legal industry for Queensland to remove time limits on legal claims for survivors of institutionalised abuse.
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Media coverage, May 2016
1st May 2016Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of May 2016.
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Court ruling means detainees can claim damages from Aust govt
26th Apr 2016Asylum seekers are highly likely to successfully claim damages from the Australian government following a ruling by the Papua New Guinea (PNG) Supreme Court, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Chance for Qld to deliver best injury insurance scheme for road users
19th Apr 2016Read MoreThe Queensland Parliament has an important opportunity this week to legislate to deliver Australia’s best injury insurance scheme for people catastrophically injured in motor vehicle accidents, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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VIC transport-injury law changes restore rights of MVA victims
15th Apr 2016Legislation restoring compensation rights for people in Victoria who suffer serious psychological injuries as a result of motor vehicle accidents is a worthy amendment which will protect the rights of the vulnerable, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Catholic Church can't backtrack on commitment to child abuse survivors
4th Apr 2016State and territory governments should urgently introduce legislation that forces institutions such as the Catholic Church to take responsibility for those who were abused as children by the clergy or others associated with the Church, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Media coverage, April 2016
1st Apr 2016Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of April 2016.
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Scrapping suspended prison sentences is not the answer
31st Mar 2016Plans by the Tasmanian government to scrap suspended jail terms are a bad idea which will only hurt victims and defendants alike, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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NSW Govt Minister to speak about future of CTP at NSW law conference
9th Mar 2016The Hon Victor Dominello MP, Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation, will be the keynote speaker at the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) annual NSW State Conference.
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Lawyers call for reform in the insurance sector
8th Mar 2016Justice demands that clients facing terminal or chronic illness whose insurance claims have been unfairly denied deserve an inquiry into the insurance sector, investigating alleged systemic poor behaviour by insurers, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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ALA joins NSW CTP Taskforce
7th Mar 2016The Australian Lawyers Alliance has been invited to participate in the establishment of a New South Wales Comprehensive Third Party (CTP) Taskforce, to investigate aberrant claim behaviour and an unusual increase in personal injury claims in the CTP Scheme.
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Media coverage, March 2016
1st Mar 2016Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of March 2016.
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NSW Govt provides path to justice for child abuse victims
17th Feb 2016The NSW government’s plan to remove limitation periods for redress for victims of institutional child abuse is a major step forward in the fight for justice for these victims, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Return to work and the police – a positive reform
16th Feb 2016The Australian Lawyers Alliance welcomes the partial restoration of rights to ongoing income support and medical expenses for police officers who are injured in the line of duty and who have not been able to return to work within two years of their injury.
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Kerry Splatt named ALA Queensland 2016 Civil Justice Award Winner
12th Feb 2016A solicitor who has been a passionate advocate for injured workers and defender of common law rights for decades has been declared the winner of the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) Queensland Civil Justice Award.
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Solicitor Kerry Splatt named ALA QLD 2016 CJA Winner
12th Feb 2016A solicitor who has been a passionate advocate for injured workers and defender of common law rights for decades has been declared the winner of the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) Queensland Civil Justice Award.
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Bret Walker SC to speak at annual Queensland law conference
8th Feb 2016Special Counsel Bret Walker SC, the Federal-Government-appointed independent national security legislation monitor, will be the keynote speaker at the 18th Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) annual Queensland State Conference.
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Sending kids to offshore immigration detention will breach WH&S laws
3rd Feb 2016Any decision to send the children of asylum seekers to offshore detention from the Australian mainland would constitute a breach of the Immigration Minister’s duty of care as well as the Commonwealth’s own Workplace Health & Safety laws, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Media coverage, February 2016
1st Feb 2016Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of February 2016.
Please note that some of the hotlinks listed below lead to subscriber-only content. ALA members who wish to know more about a particular article and who do not have subscriptions to those publications should contact Media Manager Nick Buchan at nick@lawyersalliance.com.au for a summary of that article.
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Media coverage January 2016
1st Jan 2016Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of January 2016.
Please note that some of the hotlinks listed below lead to subscriber-only content. ALA members who wish to know more about a particular article and who do not have subscriptions to those publications should contact Media Manager Nick Buchan at nick@lawyersalliance.com.au for a summary of that article.
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CTP review must happen before MAC privatisation
8th Dec 2015The SA Law Society and Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) have expressed grave concern that next year’s compulsory review of the CTP scheme will be a meaningless exercise unless it is conducted before the planned privatisation of the CTP scheme.
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Media coverage, December 2015
1st Dec 2015Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of December 2015.
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Catholic Church’s position on Ellis contradicts earlier promises
24th Nov 2015The refusal of a Catholic bishop to rule out using the Ellis Defence as a legal tactic against victims of child abuse directly contradicts earlier Catholic Church pronouncements that it would take responsibility for the conduct of its clergy, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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The ALA: protecting justice, freedom and human rights for 21 years
20th Nov 2015The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has urged journalists and other public commentators discussing the Alliance to take care not to mistakenly create confusion with regards to other organisations which also use the ALA acronym.
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Scheme to support Qld'ers badly injured in car accidents welcomed
11th Nov 2015An announcement today from the Qld State Government to consider options for implementing a National Injury Insurance Scheme (NIIS) to protect people catastrophically injured in motor vehicle accidents has been commended by the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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NSW and VIC govts applauded for supporting national redress scheme
6th Nov 2015The New South Wales and Victorian governments are to be congratulated for being the first states to support a national compensation scheme for victims of institutional child sexual abuse, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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NSW govt applauded for plan to abolish child abuse limitation periods
5th Nov 2015A commitment by the New South Wales government to abolish limitation periods for victims of child sexual abuse to seek compensation for personal injury is a welcome development in the fight to bring justice and closure for victims, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Media coverage, November 2015
1st Nov 2015Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of November 2015.
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Pair named ALA 2015 National Civil Justice Award Winners
23rd Oct 2015The founders of Civil Liberties Australia are two people who have done more than many to help curb the security powers of police and security forces and governments.
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CLA pair named ALA 2015 National CJA Winners
23rd Oct 2015Two people who done more than many to help curb the security powers of police and security forces and governments have been declared the winners of the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) National Civil Justice Award.
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Failure to provide abortion to rape victim a new low in detainee care
19th Oct 2015The Commonwealth appears to have failed in its duty of care to a 23-year-old detainee rape victim, by neglecting to provide appropriate medical counselling and advice before denying her an abortion, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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New hope for justice for victims of institutional child abuse
16th Oct 2015A Bill proposing to abolish limitation periods for victims of institutional child abuse to seek justice in New South Wales is a welcome development in the fight to bring closure for victims, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Governor of Tasmania to speak at national law conference
14th Oct 2015Her Excellency Professor The Hon Kate Warner AM, Governor of Tasmania, will be the keynote speaker at the upcoming Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) annual National Conference.
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Labor’s new detainee child-abuse Bill is no solution
12th Oct 2015A new Private Members Bill mandating the reporting of child abuse in all offshore and onshore detention facilities is not an effective remedy, and would not go far enough to monitor or prevent abuse, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Media coverage, October 2015
1st Oct 2015Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of October 2015.
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Proposed ‘crime levy’ just a tax on the poor
25th Sep 2015The Tasmanian government’s proposed ‘crime levy’ is an unfair tax that will reduce access to justice and fall unfairly on low income earners, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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NSW Bill removing time limits for child abuse litigation is welcome
18th Sep 2015Amendments introduced into the NSW Parliament by NSW MP David Shoebridge would remove a significant barrier obstructing access to justice for survivors of institutional child sexual abuse, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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NSW workers comp amendments retrospectively betray injured workers
17th Sep 2015Injured workers in New South Wales have retrospectively been stripped of their right to claim lump-sum compensation despite assurances from the government that changes to the Workers Compensation Act would have no such outcome, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Workers comp reforms a win for Qld's injured workers, scheme stability
17th Sep 2015The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has today welcomed the passing of significant workers’ compensation scheme reforms that will see key rights restored for thousands of injured workers across Queensland.
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ALA welcomes Qld Chief Justice appointment
8th Sep 2015The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has welcomed the appointment of Justice Catherine Holmes as Queensland’s next Chief Justice.
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Media coverage, September 2015
7th Sep 2015Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of September 2015.
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New film proves Montara oil spill reached Indonesian shores
4th Sep 2015A new film released today has shown for the first time the effects that Australia’s worst offshore oil spill has had on our Indonesian neighbours, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Workers comp changes a step in the right direction, but more to do
31st Aug 2015The NSW Government is to be commended for partially restoring workers compensation benefits which were heavily cut in 2012, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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DIBP leaves regulator in dark on appalling Nauru detainee conditions
28th Aug 2015Numerous incidents over the past two years, including allegations of sexual misconduct, harassment and assaults of people held on Nauru, do not appear to have been reported to Comcare by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (‘DIBP’), the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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ACT Work Safety Commissioner to speak at annual law conference
26th Aug 2015ACT Work Safety Commissioner Mark McCabe will be the keynote speaker at the upcoming Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) annual ACT State Conference.
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Montara oil spill: Australia’s six years of failure
21st Aug 2015The Australian Government has failed in its responsibility to investigate the effects of the country’s worst-ever oil spill from an oil rig, from which devastated fishing villages and communities across Indonesia still feel the impact today, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Lawyers call for cool heads over Adani ruling
19th Aug 2015Restricting the standing provisions of Australia’s national Environmental Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act would be to the detriment of the rights of ordinary citizens, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Media coverage, August 2015
12th Aug 2015Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of August 2015.
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Lawyers flock to biggest-ever Medical Law conference
28th Jul 2015More than 100 lawyers from across Australia will be attending the upcoming Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) annual Medical Law Conference.
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Manus Island rape allegations may indicate possible Govt cover-up
28th Jul 2015Three detention centre guards who were allowed to return to Australia after allegedly drugging and raping a local woman on Manus Island may constitute a cover up of possible criminal activity by the Australian government, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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QLD to again have best workers’ comp scheme in Australia
16th Jul 2015The Palaszczuk Government’s announcement to repeal the LNP’s unfair changes to the State’s workers’ compensation scheme will ensure Queensland once again has Australia’s best scheme for workers and employers, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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New Montara Report highlights Australia’s six years of failure
15th Jul 2015A new investigative report released today has called for the Federal Government to negotiate for a full investigation with Indonesia, to pinpoint the cause of economic and environmental devastation experienced by seaside communities in Indonesia following the worst offshore oil spill in Australia’s history.
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Media coverage, July 2015
7th Jul 2015Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of July 2015.
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Vic Govt applauded: historic day for institutional child abuse victims
1st Jul 2015The Victorian Parliament is to be congratulated for leading the nation in its response to institutional child abuse by introducing legislation removing limitation periods for victims to seek justice, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Injuries in detention centres apparently not investigated by Comcare
1st Jul 2015Workplace insurer Comcare appears to have failed to investigate numerous serious incidents and injuries which occurred at Commonwealth detention centres, according to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request made by the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Employers, unions and ALA fight unfair workers’ compensation Bill
30th Jun 2015The Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland (CCIQ), the Queensland Council of Unions (QCU) and the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) have joined forces in fighting proposed amendments to the Federal workers’ compensation scheme, stating the changes are a ‘retrograde step for Queensland’ that will result in higher and volatile premiums for small business and fewer benefits for the State’s 2.1 million workers.
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Govt’s Migration ‘loophole’ Bill incompatible with current law
30th Jun 2015New legislation passed by the Parliament last week to evade High Court litigation regarding the validity of regional processing centres is incompatible with Australia’s obligations at law, which it cannot contract or legislate away, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Govt’s rushed Migration Amendment Bill is unconscionable
24th Jun 2015A last-minute Bill seeking to head off court action challenging the Federal government’s power to fund offshore detention facilities is unconscionable, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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‘Blind reporting’ of child sex allegations won't protect victims
23rd Jun 2015Blind reporting of child sex allegations by the Catholic Church may be protecting abusers and those who knew and failed to act, as well as placing the NSW police service in breach of its obligations to the public and potentially of the criminal law, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Doctors should obtain legal advice before treating asylum seekers
19th Jun 2015Medical professionals working in immigration detention centres should obtain legal advice about their professional liability following new legislation which could gag them from speaking out about poor conditions for detainees, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Lack of unanimity in Senate report highlights Comcare’s faults
19th Jun 2015Injured Australian workers could see their rights and workplace safety severely cut under government plans to slash the federal workers compensation scheme, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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ICA workers comp report looks after insurers, hurts injured workers
15th Jun 2015State and Territory Governments should reject outright a self-interested report that seeks to hand operational control of workers’ compensation schemes to private insurers and cut the right to compensation of injured workers in every jurisdiction, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Vatican response to bishop failure on sexual misconduct is inadequate
12th Jun 2015The imposition by the Vatican of a system for dealing with misconduct by bishops, including the failure to deal appropriately with abusive priests, is simply inadequate, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Media coverage, June 2015
1st Jun 2015Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of June 2015.
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NT case highlights Comcare’s poor record on workplace safety
28th May 2015Comcare’s bungled attempts at legal action over a fatal accident which occurred in the Northern Territory five years ago have further highlighted significant flaws in the agency’s ability to properly manage and respond to workplace deaths, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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‘Paperless’ death in custody shows lack of police accountability
28th May 2015The tragic death in police custody of a man arrested under controversial Northern Territory ‘paperless arrest’ legislation highlights the need for authorities to be held accountable for people held in detention, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Court decision shows Comcare’s failure to regulate workplace safety
21st May 2015A recent court decision on workplace safety against a major Comcare licensee is evidence that the federal scheme is failing its core responsibility of regulating workplace safety, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Church’s bid to block child-abuse compensation is a disgrace
18th May 2015The Catholic Church should be utterly ashamed of revelations that it has not abandoned the controversial Ellis Defence to avoid paying compensation to victims of clerical child abuse, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Comcare OK for workers but not good enough for politicians
13th May 2015The Federal Government has admitted the Comcare scheme is not up to scratch by quietly funding its own parliamentary injury compensation scheme in last night’s Budget, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Victoria’s Judge O’Neill to speak at annual law conference
11th May 2015Victorian Judge in Charge of the Common Law Division of the County Court, His Honour Chris O’Neill, and former National Disability Discrimination Commissioner Dr Graeme Innes AM will head a high-powered list of speakers at the upcoming Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) annual State Conference, commencing on Friday 15 May 2015 at 8.30am.
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Govt must reveal model for no-fault insurance
5th May 2015The State Government must end the uncertainty about which model of no-fault insurance scheme it will introduce, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Media coverage, May 2015
1st May 2015Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of May 2015.
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Qld reforms to improve workplace safety welcome
23rd Apr 2015Industrial relations reforms announced today by the Palaszczuk Government will play an important role in helping to strengthen and improve safety scrutiny and oversight on Queensland work sites, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Senator Abetz’s attacks on injured workers do nothing to fix Comcare
15th Apr 2015Comments from Federal Public Service Minister Eric Abetz that seek to minimise the impacts of proposed changes to the nation’s Comcare scheme are not only dishonest, they also serve as a further hit on injured workers, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Media coverage, April 2015
14th Apr 2015Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of April 2015.
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Detainee abuse letter: Evidence of Govt’s breach of duty of care?
8th Apr 2015A letter alleging that the Australian Government knew children were suffering sexual abuse at the Nauru detention centre is stunning first evidence that the government may have failed to protect detainees from harm, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Workers compensation scheme key to protecting our ageing workforce
7th Apr 2015The expectation that Australians will work past the age of 65 needs to be framed in a long-term vision that finds a sustainable balance between workers compensation, the National Disability Insurance Scheme and Centrelink, or risk breaking the system, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Proposed changes to Comcare a further attack on injured workers
25th Mar 2015Amendments introduced today by the Federal Government to the national workers’ compensation scheme are a further attack on the rights of the nation’s injured workers, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Commonwealth is failing victims of institutional child abuse
25th Mar 2015The federal government is abdicating its responsibility to victims of institutional child abuse by failing to support a national redress scheme, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.
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NSW Judge Sidis to speak at annual law conference
24th Mar 2015New South Wales the Hon. Judge Margaret Sidis, District Court of NSW (Ret), will be the keynote speaker at the upcoming Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) annual New South Wales State Conference.
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Moss Review shows Nauru asylum seekers are our responsibility
20th Mar 2015The Federal Government’s own review of asylum seekers held in offshore detention centres on Nauru shows that it does have a non-delegable duty of care to people detained and may leave the Commonwealth liable for a swathe of future compensation claims, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Victims of crime compensation changes do not go far enough
20th Mar 2015The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has welcomed the NSW Government’s partial backdown over unfair legislation which slashed compensation for victims of crime, but has said that recent and future victims will also be treated unfairly unless further changes are made to the compensation scheme.
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Urgent need for review of NSW workers compensation scheme
6th Mar 2015A report which revealed thousands of injured employees who lost workers compensation benefits following changes to the scheme has highlighted the need for an urgent review of these amendments, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Media coverage, March 2015
1st Mar 2015Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of March 2015.
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ACT’s new compensation scheme can heal Comcare’s damage
27th Feb 2015Arbitrary time limits and cuts to injury and rehabilitation entitlements have no place in a genuine workers compensation scheme which protects workers’ rights, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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ACT govt pulling out of Comcare is a step in the right direction
26th Feb 2015The ACT government is to be commended for pulling its support from the fundamentally flawed Comcare workplace insurance scheme, demonstrating strong leadership and supporting workers’ rights, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Two dollars a week a small price to pay for no-fault insurance
25th Feb 2015An extra two dollars a week to insure the average family car is all it would take to give Western Australia the best motor vehicle accident compensation scheme in Australia, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Ferouz legal team named ALA Queensland 2015 Civil Justice Award Winner
13th Feb 2015The legal team which fought to free baby Ferouz and his family from detention has been declared the winner of the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) Queensland Civil Justice Award.
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Baby Ferouz legal team named ALA Qld 2015 Civil Justice Award Winner
13th Feb 2015The legal team which fought to free baby Ferouz and his family from detention has been declared the winner of the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) Queensland Civil Justice Award.
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Royal Commission findings show overwhelming need for law reform
12th Feb 2015The scathing findings by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse about the conduct of the Catholic Church and Cardinal Pell in the Ellis matter demonstrate the overwhelming need for law reform, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Govt must urgently release children in detention
12th Feb 2015Clear evidence that children being held in immigration detention centres are developing serious mental issues shows the urgency of releasing them into the community as soon as possible, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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QLD’s Justice McMurdo to speak at annual law conference
11th Feb 2015Queensland Justice the Hon. Margaret McMurdo AC, President of the Court of Appeal, will be the keynote speaker at the upcoming Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) annual Queensland State Conference.
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MH370 victim compensation deadline looms
10th Feb 2015Families of victims of the MH370 disaster only have one more year in which to bring compensation claims against Malaysia Airlines before time runs out, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Media coverage, February 2015
1st Feb 2015Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of February 2015.
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Injured workers must be a priority for Qld election
16th Jan 2015The forthcoming Queensland State election presents a real opportunity for all sides of politics to restore rights for Queenslanders injured in unsafe workplaces, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Govt plan to strip legal rights from families with cerebral palsy
16th Jan 2015Children who are born with cerebral palsy due to medical malpractice may have their rights to sue for their lifetime care and support eliminated under plans being considered by governments, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Emerging Lawyer of the Year 2014
15th Jan 2015In 2014, the ALA presented its the Emerging Lawyer of the Year Award to Benedict Coyne. This award recognises an individual's dedication to social justice and is awarded to an individual within their first three years of practice that is seen as a future leader in the profession.
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Media coverage, January 2015
1st Jan 2015Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of January 2015.
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Govt treatment of Manus detainees could be found negligent
12th Dec 2014The Manus Island Report shows clearly that the Australian Government may have breached its duty of care to deceased detainee Reza Berati and could be found negligent for its treatment of asylum seekers detained on Manus Island, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Human Rights Day: It’s time to talk about a Bill of Rights
10th Dec 2014Australia must re-open the discussion about adopting a Bill of Rights in order to protect the human rights of all Australians, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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New migration legislation may be unconstitutional
5th Dec 2014Federal legislation which reintroduces Temporary Protection Visas (TPVs) undermines the United Nations Refugee Convention and may in fact be unconstitutional, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Media coverage, December 2014
1st Dec 2014Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of December 2014.
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Comcare changes threaten workers’ rights and workplace safety
28th Nov 2014State and territory-based workers’ compensation schemes are in danger of being abandoned by employers if changes to the Comcare scheme are approved, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Media coverage, November 2014
1st Nov 2014Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of November 2014.
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Data retention Bill is a recipe for privacy abuse
30th Oct 2014Australians will have no protection against security agencies misusing their personal or private information under proposed legislation governing a mandatory data retention scheme, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Changes to Wrongs Act do not go far enough
30th Oct 2014Proposed Victoria State government changes to laws on personal injury compensation are good but do not go far enough to correct anomalies and inconsistencies in the legislation, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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John Ellis awarded 2014 National Civil Justice Award
24th Oct 2014Lawyer John Ellis has been awarded the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) Civil Justice Award in 2014 for his dedicated advocacy for survivors of sexual abuse.
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John Ellis named ALA 2014 National Civil Justice Award Winner
24th Oct 2014A man who has led the fight to make the Catholic Church and other institutions accountable for the actions of its clergy and staff has been declared the winner of the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) National Civil Justice Award.
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FOI Maps prove Montara oil spill investigation is vital
24th Oct 2014Maps released under freedom of information laws indicate oil from the Montara oil spill was located much closer to the Indonesian coast than previously thought, proving the need for an immediate independent study into the disaster, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Anti-terror laws threaten separation of powers
13th Oct 2014Key clauses in the Commonwealth’s proposed new Foreign Fighters anti-terror legislation could be unconstitutional as they undermine the separation of powers, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Media coverage, October 2014
1st Oct 2014Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of October 2014.
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Indonesia asks for help with toxic Montara oil spill consequences
30th Sep 2014The Australian Government should commit to negotiate for an independent investigation into the effects of the Montara oil spill following a direct request for assistance from the Indonesia Government, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Negligent no longer to be liable under new compensation scheme
26th Sep 2014The rights of people catastrophically injured as the direct result of negligence are under threat if the Commonwealth succeeds in introducing a National Injury Insurance Scheme (NIIS), the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Foreign Fighters Bill will lead to innocent people being detained
25th Sep 2014The Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (Foreign Fighters) Bill lowers the threshold for the arrest of individuals on alleged terrorism offences and will lead to innocent people being arrested and detained, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Terror threat to Australia’s legal system
24th Sep 2014Australia is already losing the ‘war on terror’ if it starts abandoning principles as fundamentally important as the rule of law and the presumption of innocence, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.
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Govt’s anti-terror law promises will not stop abuse of power
24th Sep 2014Promises by the Federal Government not to abuse proposed anti-terror legislation are not enough to protect the rights of Australians, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Good result for Horvath but more needed to secure justice
23rd Sep 2014An apology and ex-gratia payment to police assault victim Corinna Horvath is a welcome development but much more needs to be done by the Victorian Government to prevent similar situations happening again, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Parliamentary Committee says heal damaged workers compensation scheme
18th Sep 2014Recommendations by a bipartisan NSW Parliamentary Committee to restore medical benefits to workers have been welcomed by the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Suspects deserve presumption of innocence following terror raids
18th Sep 2014Media coverage of the terror raids carried out by Federal Police in Sydney and Brisbane is undermining the presumption of innocence for those individuals questioned or arrested during the proceedings, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Immigration Department carrying out asylum seeker ‘round-up’
18th Sep 2014A large group of asylum-seekers currently being ‘round up’ by the Commonwealth are at very real risk of suicide or even death if they are forced to return to their home countries, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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ACT Chief Justice to speak at annual lawyers conference
16th Sep 2014ACT Supreme Court Chief Justice the Hon. Helen Murrell will be the keynote speaker at the upcoming Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) annual ACT Branch Conference.
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State Govts must match Fed commitment to child abuse victims
8th Sep 2014State, territory and federal governments need to provide certainty of adequate compensation for victims of institutional child sexual abuse, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Commonwealth could be liable for detainee declared brain-dead
3rd Sep 2014The Commonwealth could be liable for an asylum seeker declared as brain dead following detention on Manus Island, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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ALA welcomes Royal Commission extension
3rd Sep 2014The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) welcomes the government’s commitment to the extension of the Royal Commission on Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
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Media coverage, September 2014
1st Sep 2014Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of September 2014.
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Redress schemes are not the answer for victims of child abuse
22nd Aug 2014A statutory redress scheme for victims of child sexual abuse would be no substitute for common law rights to seek compensation for institutional abuse, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Five years on – and still no justice on Montara oil spill
21st Aug 2014Communities claiming to be left economically and environmentally devastated by Australia’s worst-ever offshore oil spill are still waiting for justice and an investigation five years on, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Royal Commission funding threat is unacceptable
20th Aug 2014Any possibility that the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse may have to conclude prematurely due to inadequate funding is unacceptable, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Look cautiously at the Catholic Church’s compensation proposal
14th Aug 2014The Catholic Church’s proposal for a national compensation scheme for victims of institutional abuse may not prevent additional bullying of victims of child abuse, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Catholic Church puts asset protection ahead of abuse victims
12th Aug 2014The Roman Catholic Church has demonstrated once again that it puts asset protection ahead of the interests of child sexual abuse victims, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Fault lines in NDIS follow cracks in NSW lifetime care scheme
12th Aug 2014Systemic issues identified in the NSW Lifetime Care and Support Scheme (LTCS) may already be affecting services provided via the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Millions spent on ‘voluntary return’ of asylum seekers
5th Aug 2014The Commonwealth has spent nearly $3 million on the ‘voluntary return’ of almost 1100 asylum seekers to their country of origin in less than a year, according to information obtained under freedom of information laws by the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) today.
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Media coverage, August 2014
1st Aug 2014Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of August 2014.
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Victorian Government must take Horvath case seriously
1st Aug 2014The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has supported a call for the Victorian Government to take its international obligations seriously, following the Government’s inaction to rectify breaches of the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
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Asylum seeker cover-up allegations constitute abuse in care
31st Jul 2014Allegations that the Department of Immigration tried to cover up mental health problems amongst child-aged asylum seekers constitutes abuse in care and may leave the Commonwealth liable for a swathe of future compensation claims, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Govt moves to aggressively short-change disabled workers
30th Jul 2014More than 10,000 intellectually-disabled Australian workers risk being collectively short-changed millions of dollars in back pay by contentious new federal legislation, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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MH17 victim compensation likely to be inadequate
25th Jul 2014Compensation from Malaysia Airlines which may be available to families of the victims of Flight MH17 is likely to be inadequate, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Commonwealth should scrutinise alleged SA child abuse
24th Jul 2014The South Australian Government should invite the Commonwealth Royal Commission on Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse to investigate allegations of abuse in that state, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Asylum seekers suffering ‘cruel and inhuman punishment’
23rd Jul 2014The 157 asylum seekers being held on an Australian customs vessel on the high seas are being held in ‘torturous’ conditions which breach international conventions on civil and political rights, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Australians do not deserve NDIS delay
21st Jul 2014Delaying the implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) will only generate additional anxiety amongst the very people it is intended to help, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Govt should compensate industrial contamination zone victims
18th Jul 2014State authorities should compensate residents and property owners who have been adversely affected by the industrial contamination testing zone in Adelaide, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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ALA backs call for workers compensation for elite athletes
18th Jul 2014The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has backed a call for professional athletes to be covered by workers compensation legislation.
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Journalists will face jail over spy leaks under new security laws
17th Jul 2014Australian Lawyers Alliance spokesman Greg Barns has been quoted in today’s Guardian about the proposed strengthening of national security laws against whistleblowers, saying the “troubling” legislation could be used to prosecute and jail journalists who reported on information they received about special intelligence operations.
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ALA backs plan for state-based racial discrimination laws
11th Jul 2014The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has supported a commitment by the Victorian Opposition to replicate racial discrimination laws in state legislation if they are repealed at a federal level.
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Comcare changes to gut state workers’ compensation schemes
9th Jul 2014State and territory-based workers’ compensation schemes risk being gutted as a result of changes to the Comcare scheme which have been examined by a Senate committee report, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Extension of Royal Commission best hope for reform
2nd Jul 2014The work of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse is the best hope for major reform in this area, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.
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Media coverage, July 2014
1st Jul 2014Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of July 2014.
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Decades of case law conflict with Migration Bill
26th Jun 2014Changes to the Migration Act introduced into Parliament yesterday by Immigration Minister Scott Morrison are at odds with decisions made in the High Court since 1989 and international case law, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.
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Migration changes introduced mark a new low
25th Jun 2014Changes to the Migration Act introduced into Parliament today by Immigration Minister Scott Morrison marks a new low in respect of Australia meeting its international human rights protections, and a new attack on procedural fairness and the separation of powers, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.
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Changes to Motor Accident Commission at cost to SA rights
20th Jun 2014Changes to the Motor Accident Commission may rob South Australians injured in motor accidents of adequate support, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.
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South Australian conference highlights workers comp
20th Jun 2014The ALA's South Australian conference will take place at the Intercontinental Hotel, Adelaide on Friday. Featuring Deputy Premier John Rau as keynote, Mr Rau will address the failings of South Australia's workers compensation scheme. The ALA continues to call for a fundamental overhaul of the scheme.
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Lawyers call for legislative amendment to Migration Act
18th Jun 2014The High Court’s decision in Plaintiff S156-2013 v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection highlights the lack of adequate protections in Australia’s migration law, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.
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Manus Inquiry: Lawyers' evidence given
16th Jun 2014Representatives of the ALA appeared before the #manusinquiry, giving evidence as to Australia's duty of care obligations at common law.
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Australian Lawyers Alliance supports the stand taken today by QLD Bar
13th Jun 2014The Australian Lawyers Alliance supports the stand taken today by QLD Bar Association President, Peter Davis QC, who has resigned in protest of the government's appointment of Judge Tim Carmody as Chief Justice of Queensland.
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Independent investigation of Montara oil spill must occur
13th Jun 2014An independent investigation of damage sustained in the closest Indonesian province to Australia should be funded by the company responsible, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said again today.
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Manus Inquiry: Lawyers to give evidence about duty of care
13th Jun 2014The Australian Lawyers Alliance appears at the Senate Inquiry into the incident at Manus Island today. In our submission, we asserted that the Commonwealth has a non-delegable duty of care to asylum seekers that continues to exist regardless of where they are being detained.
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ALA to speak re asylum seekers and duty of care to Senate Inquiry
12th Jun 2014On Friday, the Australian Lawyers Alliance will appear at public hearings for the Senate Inquiry into the incident at Manus Island in which Mr Berati was tragically killed.
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Opening Comcare gates will trade off workers' rights
11th Jun 2014The Federal government is planning to trade off the rights of Australian workers via opening the gates to its Comcare scheme, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today
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ALA appears at Productivity Commission Access to Justice Inquiry
4th Jun 2014This week, the Australian Lawyers Alliance was invited to appear before the Productivity Commission in its inquiry into Access to Justice.
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ALA submits on NSW workers compensation changes
3rd Jun 2014This week, the Australian Lawyers Alliance NSW Committee provided our submission to the Centre for International Economics in its statutory review of the 2012 NSW workers compensation legislative amendments on behalf of the Office of Finance and Services.
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Media coverage, June 2014
1st Jun 2014Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance during the month of June 2014.
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Drop in premiums shows Qld govt's WorkCover changes were unnecessary
20th May 2014Today’s announcement of a drop in WorkCover premiums for employers proves the Newman Government’s changes to the workers’ compensation scheme, rammed through Parliament last year, were unnecessary, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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ALA announces winner of Victorian Civil Justice Award 2014
16th May 2014The Victorian Civil Justice Award 2014 has been awarded to the Flemington and Kensington CLC for their advocacy against police brutality in Victoria.
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ALA VIC Conference returns to Torquay
16th May 2014The annual Australian Lawyers Alliance VIC State Conference returns to Torquay in 2014 on Friday May 16 and Saturday May 17 at Peppers the Sands Resort.
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Release of ACT Human Rights Commission report praised
16th May 2014The ACT Human Rights Commission has released a human rights review of the conditions for women imprisoned at Alexander McConachie Centre in the ACT. The Australian Lawyers Alliance has welcomed the report's release.
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Injured to bear burden of Budget 2014
14th May 2014Budget cuts will be borne by the injured, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.
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Our VIC conference to take place this Friday in Torquay
13th May 2014The annual Australian Lawyers Alliance VIC State Conference returns to Torquay in 2014 on Friday May 16 and Saturday May 17 at Peppers the Sands Resort.
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Govt knowledge of security breaches may strengthen claims
13th May 2014Revelations that the Commonwealth knew of security flaws at Manus Island may strengthen claims by asylum seekers who have suffered injuries as a result of security breaches, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.
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National security legislation may receive no independent review
8th May 2014The government has proposed the repeal of the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor. In our submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee, we oppose the repeal, citing the need for an independent body to review legislation, especially in the absence of an Australian Bill of Rights.
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Ageing workforce at risk of injury
6th May 2014Any discussion about working life ought to include workplace injury and its consequences, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.
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Manus: You can't delegate your duty
5th May 2014The Australian government may have a non-delegable duty of care to asylum seekers, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today, in a submission to a Senate inquiry into the tragic death of Reza Berati on Manus Island.
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Injured to bear burden of rising healthcare costs
2nd May 2014Injured workers, people with disability, and people living with chronic illness will bear the burden of rising healthcare costs proposed by the Commission of Audit, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.
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Vicarious liability to be chopped under RDA changes
30th Apr 2014Employers may win and individuals lose out with vicarious liability and exemptions on the chopping block under proposed changes to the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth), the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.
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Sexual abuse of minors by Royal Australian Navy should be investigated
17th Apr 2014The Australian Lawyers Alliance calls on the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse to hold an open hearing into the allegations of decades of sexual abuse of minors at HMAS Leeuwin.
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Breaches have gone further than Senate Inquiry suggests
29th Mar 2014Breaches into Indonesian waters could be far more common than recorded by the Defence and Customs Review and Senate Inquiry report, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.
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Proposed changes to RDA will disallow people from utilising law
26th Mar 2014Proposed changes to the Racial Discrimination Act will effectively disallow people from utilising the law, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.
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Justice and compassion come second best
25th Mar 2014In evidence at the Royal Commission yesterday, Cardinal Pell conceded that justice required that a legal entity be created for victims of clergy abuse to sue.
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Breaches have gone further than Defence Customs Review suggests
21st Mar 2014Breaches into Indonesian waters could be more common than recorded by the Defence and Customs Review, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.
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What 'cutting red tape' will do to injured workers nationwide
19th Mar 2014The Federal government’s proposal to allow employers to shift workers into the Comcare system will take away vital support for injured workers and dilute health and safety protections nationwide, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.
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Catholic church concession on Ellis defence is inadequate
11th Mar 2014A historic concession made yesterday only goes halfway to according justice for thousands of victims of sexual abuse, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.
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Australia cannot outsource legal duty on asylum seekers
18th Feb 2014Australia continues to have a non-delegable duty to people seeking asylum in Australia, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.
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ALA announces winner of Queensland Civil Justice Award 2014
14th Feb 2014A man who spent five years tirelessly defending the innocence of an Australian man facing criminal charges overseas has been announced as the winner of this year’s Australian Lawyers Alliance Queensland Civil Justice Award.
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Undercompensation fund not the answer for victims of abuse
13th Feb 2014The Australian Lawyers Alliance notes the calls from the Roman Catholic Church and other churches for a national compensation fund in response to the ongoing suffering of victims of institutional abuse.
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Breaking research reveals severe impacts in Indonesia
11th Feb 2014Breaking research by the Australian Lawyers Alliance, revealed this week at a Senate Inquiry into Australia’s aid program, reveals that one of Indonesia’s poorest provinces continues to suffer from the impacts of the Montara oil spill, which occurred in Australian waters of the Timor Sea in 2009.
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Lawyers to pack out Marriott Resort for annual ALA Qld conference
11th Feb 2014More than 300 lawyers and legal academics will fill the main conference room of the Marriott Resort, this weekend, as part of the annual Australian Lawyers Alliance two-day Queensland Conference.
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Damaged human rights record will plunge further
22nd Jan 2014The Australian Lawyers Alliance said today that Human Rights Watch’s assessment of Australian asylum seeker policy as ‘draconian’ will plunge further in coming months if legislation currently on the table passes in the Parliament of Australia.
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Emerging Lawyer of the Year Award
1st Jan 2014The Emerging Lawyer of the Year Award recognises an individual's dedication to social justice and is awarded to an individual within their first three years of practice that is seen as a future leader in the profession.
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Australian Lawyers Alliance Civil Justice Awards
1st Jan 2014Every year, the Australian Lawyers Alliance presents the highly acclaimed Civil Justice Awards to individuals and organisations around the country who have displayed outstanding advocacy in their support for human rights and social justice.
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NDIS must have full, bipartisan support
12th Nov 2013The Australian Lawyers Alliance is today stressing the importance of the National Disability Insurance Scheme being given full affordable and sustainable support from both sides of government to ensure it delivers the expectations of the community.
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Bentleigh voters say no to TAC changes – ALA
7th Nov 2013Voters in the Liberal-held seat of Bentleigh have overwhelmingly voiced their disapproval for planned cuts to the Transport Accident Commission scheme as part of a poll commissioned by the Australian Lawyers Alliance.
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Frankston voters say no to TAC changes – ALA
7th Nov 2013Voters in the Independent seat of Frankston have overwhelmingly voiced their disapproval for planned cuts to the Transport Accident Commission scheme as part of a poll commissioned by the Australian Lawyers Alliance.
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Seymour voters say no to TAC changes – ALA
7th Nov 2013Voters in the Liberal-held seat of Seymour have overwhelmingly voiced their disapproval for planned cuts to the Transport Accident Commission scheme as part of a poll commissioned by the Australian Lawyers Alliance.
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South Barwon voters say no to TAC changes – ALA
7th Nov 2013Voters in the Liberal-held seat of South Barwon have overwhelmingly voiced their disapproval for planned cuts to the Transport Accident Commission scheme as part of a poll commissioned by the Australian Lawyers Alliance.
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Independent study of Montara oil disaster needed – ALA
4th Nov 2013Four years ago, yesterday, the Montara wellhead, which exploded and left oil gushing unabated into the Timor Sea for 74 days, was finally plugged. A study by Australian authorities investigated the scope of the ecological disaster in Australian waters, but nothing has been done to evaluate its impact on our nearest neighbours who say their lives have been devastated as a result.
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NSW Workers Compensation Scheme slashing injured workers rights - ALA
31st Oct 2013Injured workers rights are being slashed by Premier Barry O’Farrell, which is the only reason he and the Finance Minister were able to announce a NSW Compensation Scheme surplus, yesterday, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.
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Marginal electorate poll says ‘no’ to TAC changes
30th Oct 2013Victorian voters are overwhelmingly rejecting planned cuts to the Transport Accident Commission scheme.
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Lack of injury law consultation by Vic Gov
28th Oct 2013“Lack of stakeholder engagement prior to altering long standing Victorian transport accident injury laws, is likely to lead to a costly increase in mental illness in the community,” the Australia Lawyers Alliance National President, Geraldine Collins, warned today.
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Emerging Lawyer of the Year 2013
23rd Oct 2013In 2013, the ALA presented its inaugural Emerging Lawyer of the Year Award. The award recognises an individual's dedication to social justice and is awarded to an individual within their first three years of practice that is seen as a future leader in the profession.
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ALA 2013 National Civil Justice Award Winner announced
23rd Oct 2013A West Timorese small businessman, who distributes water pipes, is this year’s winner of the Australian Lawyers Alliance National Civil Justice Award, which recognises those that go beyond the call of duty to promote justice, freedom and the rights of the individual.
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2013 ALA National Conference in Canberra this week
22nd Oct 2013About 200 lawyers, politicians and academics from all over Australia are gathering at Rydges Lakeside Hotel in Canberra from Thursday until Saturday, this week, as part of the Australian Lawyers Alliance annual National Conference.
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ALA to discuss Qld premier at risk of losing his seat
17th Oct 2013Australian Lawyers Alliance spokesman Rod Hodgson will be speaking on new polling that shows the Premier is at risk of losing the seat of Ashgrove as a result of the State Government’s proposed changes to Queensland’s WorkCover scheme today (Thursday) morning at Parliament House.
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New poll shows Qld Premier's seat at risk if WorkCover laws pass
17th Oct 2013A new poll shows the Premier’s own seat is at risk if the Queensland Government passes laws today to reduce injured employees’ rights for workplace injuries.
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Vic's accident victims will suffer if new bill passes – ALA
17th Oct 2013The Australian Lawyers Alliance is concerned that a Bill, before the Victorian Parliament, is changing the definition of what it means to have suffered a serious psychiatric injury. It appears the intent is to save the Transport Accident Commission money at the expense of injured people.
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WorkCover changes hurt all Queenslanders
15th Oct 2013Today's changes to Queensland's WorkCover scheme announced by the Attorney-General will hurt employers, employees and taxpayers and have been announced without any basis in fact.
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Queensland still has nation's best WorkCover scheme
14th Oct 2013The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has welcomed the release of WorkCover Queensland’s latest Annual Report, which confirms the scheme remains the best in the country and is both financially stable and fair for employers, employees and taxpayers.
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Queensland workers compensation poll
13th Oct 2013Click here to view the workers compensation poll results following a survey of 1,258 Queensland residents on 10 October 2013.
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Queenslanders reject Government's changes to workers compensation
13th Oct 2013As State Cabinet prepares to consider drastic changes to Queensland's workers compensation scheme, a new poll has shown that Queenslanders overwhelmingly support the State's current system.
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Investigation of abuse by priests must be done by the courts – ALA
3rd Oct 2013The Australian Lawyers Alliance welcomes today’s concession from the Catholic Church’s Truth, Justice and Healing Council on the failure of the Church’s Towards Healing process.
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Concern for asylum seekers wellbeing – ALA
13th Sep 2013Almost $28 million has been spent by Australia on asylum seekers compensation claims since 2000. Of this, $21.1 million was for unlawful detention in 299 matters and $6.9 million for breaches of duty-of-care and statutory duties towards 150 others, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.
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Common law rights must be retained for WA victims of MVA – ALA
11th Sep 2013“The fundamental right of Western Australians to be able to afford lifetime medical care following motor vehicle injury must be retained along side any new no-fault scheme or the quality of life for injury victims will be eroded,” Australian Lawyers Alliance personal injury spokesman Asanka Gunasekera said today.
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Election winner must have heart when dealing with asylum seekers - ALA
3rd Sep 2013The Australian Lawyers Alliance is calling on the winner of this weekend’s federal election to adopt compassionate asylum seeker policies and in doing so both improve access to justice for some of the world’s most vulnerable and give Australia’s international reputation a boost at the same time.
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Poor Gov response to the 2009 Montara oil spill – ALA
20th Aug 2013Untold human misery, suffering and a stimulation of the people smuggling trade to Australia is being created by poor Australian Government response to a massive 2009 oil spill in Australian waters, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.
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ALA joins pressure on governments to lift Vic legal aid funding
14th Aug 2013The Australian Lawyers Alliance is backing the Law Institute of Victoria and the Victorian Bar Association’s call for the Victorian and federal governments to immediately review funding for legal aid saying more than a decade of inadequate funding has taken a significant toll on Victorians’ ability to access justice.
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Judge in Nazi war crime case to speak at ALA WA Conference
12th Aug 2013A highly respected judge, who deliberated on an Australian man’s potential deportation for Nazi war crimes, will be the keynote speaker at this year’s Australian Lawyers Alliance WA Conference on Friday.
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Misnomer of NDIS as a form of insurance is concerning – ALA
12th Aug 2013“A potential misunderstanding that the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a form of insurance has prompted some underwriters to warn that the scheme, now called DisabilityCare, does not safeguard families from economic loss resulting from death and incapacity,” the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.
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Australia’s treatment of asylum seekers may breach international law
5th Aug 2013Australia’s treatment of asylum seeking detainees may be considered akin to torture and urgent measures were needed to protect such vulnerable people under law, the Australian Lawyers Alliance warned today.
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Rudd’s continuing hard line on asylum seekers - ALA
24th Jul 2013Harsh and unjust asylum seeker policy, which is continuing under the new Rudd Government leadership, puts asylum seekers at risk of further trauma and, as a consequence, Australian taxpayers under increasing financial burden to compensate for the afflictions that such policies create, The Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.
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ALA calls for immediate removal of boy in Tas detention centre
9th Jul 2013The Australian Lawyers Alliance is calling for the immediate removal of an 11-year-old child from Pontville detention centre in Tasmania.
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Less haste and more thoroughness needed for DisabilityCare – ALA
1st Jul 2013The Australian Lawyers Alliance welcomes the official commencement of DisabilityCare today, but is concerned about potential oversights in all the haste.
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Planned SA WorkCover overhaul benefits injured
28th Jun 2013“Industrial Relations Minister John Rau’s announcement today to pay out long-term SA WorkCover injury victims is likely to facilitate better health outcomes for such workers and is a long overdue development,” Australian Lawyers Alliance SA President, Patrick Boylen, said.
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Xenophon to voice concerns about SA CTP at ALA conference
12th Jun 2013Senator Nick Xenophon is one of several high profile speakers to address the Australian Lawyers Alliance South Australian Conference on Friday as part of a program focussing on recent changes to South Australia’s CTP scheme.
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Call for Catholic Church to come clean on real abuse numbers – ALA
9th Jun 2013The Australian Lawyers Alliance is calling on Catholic Church to come clean to the Victorian child sexual abuse inquiry and reveal the accurate number of victims known to it.
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SA victims’ rights sacrificed for road works
6th Jun 2013“Since March 2012 the SA government has led the public to believe that the CTP scheme needed to be reformed to ensure its financial viability into the future. The 2013 SA Budget has shown that the Motor Accident Commission (MAC) has a healthy surplus and the SA government has wasted no time in helping itself to the surplus,” ALA SA President Patrick Boylen said today.
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Pell’s apology must be backed up with compensation – ALA
28th May 2013The Australian Lawyers Alliance is calling on the Roman Catholic Church to put its money where its mouth is and use the vast wealth of assets at its disposal to properly compensate victims who fell and continue to fall prey to paedophile priests.
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Bad legislation likely in NSW if push to gag CLCs goes ahead – ALA
24th May 2013Badly formed laws, which have the potential to destroy many vulnerable people’s lives, are more likely to pass through NSW Parliament, if a push by the O’Farrell government to gag community legal centres from speaking out against injustice is allowed to go ahead.
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Vulnerable NSW children likely to suffer if victim comp law is passed
24th May 2013Vulnerable children removed from their natural parents because of drugs, mental illness, violence and neglect, will be made even more vulnerable if new NSW compensation legislation is passed through parliament next week, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said.
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Planned unexplained wealth laws will not hinder crime in Tas - ALA
15th May 2013The Australian Lawyers Alliance is concerned about planned unexplained wealth laws, soon to be tabled in Tasmanian parliament, after Attorney-General, Brian Wightman, flagged an upcoming Bill on the issue.
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NSW time limits will wipe sexual assault victims rights to comp - ALA
14th May 2013“The Anglican Survey of Child Sexual Abuse by clergy in the Brisbane area showed an average time from abuse to first complaint of 19.5 years,” Australian Lawyers Alliance spokesman Dr Andrew Morrison SC said today.
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David Hicks' lawyer to speak at ALA's Victorian Conference
13th May 2013Lawyer, Michael ‘Dan’ Mori, who represented David Hicks against charges of being an enemy combatant of the United States, will speak at The Australian Lawyers Alliance Victorian Conference in Lorne this weekend.
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Changes to NSW victim comp laws to impact battered women – ALA
10th May 2013Victims of sexual abuse and domestic violence, some abused for many years and who have debilitating physical and psychological injuries, as well as dependent children, will face an uncertain future under a Bill before NSW Parliament, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.
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Orphan must be taken from Christmas Island to his family - ALA
10th May 2013The Australian Lawyers Alliance today called on the federal government to remove a nine-year-old Sri Lankan boy, recently orphaned, from Christmas Island, to save him from exacerbated psychological trauma.
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NSW green slip changes must put injured first – ALA
10th May 2013NSW Compulsory Third Party insurance changes, introduced into parliament this week, and said by the government to be ‘fairer and more affordable’, are actually harming the very people they are designed to protect, reducing benefits and payment periods, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.
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ALA says new Qld unexplained wealth laws will not hinder criminals
2nd May 2013The Australian Lawyers Alliance says Queensland’s Attorney-General, Jarrod Bleijie, is mistaken if he thinks introducing unexplained wealth laws will make any difference to criminal activity.
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ALA welcomes new debate to secure funding for DisabilityCare
30th Apr 2013The Australian Lawyers Alliance today welcomed renewed debate on secure funding for DisabilityCare.
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Clarity needed over Abbott’s ‘turn back boats’ policy
29th Apr 2013An opinion piece by ALA National President, Anthony Kerin, on Abbott's 'turn back boats' policy.
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Reopening detention centre will increase compensation claims – ALA
24th Apr 2013The Australian Lawyers Alliance today called on the federal government to stop detaining children and families as part of its asylum seeker policy.
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ALA lauds NZ in voting to acknowledge same sex marriage under law
18th Apr 2013The Australian Lawyers Alliance today congratulated New Zealanders on their leadership and humanity in acknowledging same sex unions as legitimate marriages under law.
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ALA applauds SA joining NDIS
18th Apr 2013The Australian Lawyers Alliance today congratulated South Australia on becoming the second state to unite with the federal government on the state-wide roll out of DisabilityCare Australia.
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Asylum seekers in WA must be offered protections of Aus law - ALA
15th Apr 2013The Australian Lawyers Alliance is concerned that the rights of a boatload of Sri Lankan men, women and children who reached WA on Tuesday are being ignored as Australia continues to flout its international obligations to asylum seekers.
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New super tax changes will hurt the injured
8th Apr 2013“The catastrophically injured and their carers are having their futures thrown into doubt after the federal government announced changes to superannuation laws on Friday that are likely to mean that their compensation payments will run out early,” the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.
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NDIS Bill praised by ALA, but with qualification
24th Mar 2013The Australian Lawyers Alliance remains concerned about oversights in the National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill which stand to limit the rights of those with disabilities and their carers.
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ALA commends Attorney-General for not rushing anti-discrim bill
22nd Mar 2013The Australian Lawyers Alliance today commended the Federal Attorney-General, Mark Dreyfus, for not rushing consideration of the anti-discrimination bill or the reading and deliberation of submissions pertaining to the Bill, which may have resulted in substandard legislation.
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ALA applauds criminal appeals review process
21st Mar 2013The Australian Lawyers Alliance today commended the South Australian Government for its initiative and vision in bringing about a new review process for criminal convictions with fresh and compelling evidence upon which to base further enquiry.
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NDIS recovery rights fall short
15th Mar 2013People with disabilities can be pressured into legal action under provisions in the National Disability Scheme legislation passed in the House of Representatives yesterday.
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Don’t use asylum seekers for political gain - ALA
27th Feb 2013“The fact that one asylum seeker, out of tens of thousands, has been charged with a criminal offence should not lead to a further erosion of the already limited rights of asylum seekers in the community,” ALA criminal law spokesman, Greg Barns, said today.
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Proposal to extend NSW prison terms could be unconstitutional
21st Feb 2013The New South Wales government’s proposed continuing detention laws for serious sex offences or violent crimes are possibly unconstitutional and are likely to meet a High Court challenge, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.
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ALA concerned over Finance Minister's comments on green slip reform
19th Feb 2013The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has expressed serious concern about the latest media release from the Minister for Finance and Services today regarding green slip reform.
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NDIS Bill inadequate in protecting rights of those with disabilities
19th Feb 2013The Australian Lawyers Alliance today told an Adelaide public hearing on the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) that the Bill, in its present form, would not adequately protect the rights of those with disabilities.
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Green slip reforms could increase costs and risks to family
18th Feb 2013Proposed changes to the NSW green slip scheme, announced by the NSW Government on Sunday, could increase insurance costs for families and put them at risk of losing their homes if the main breadwinner is involved in a serious accident.
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ALA announces winner of its Queensland Civil Justice Award 2013
15th Feb 2013The man who was the driving force behind the search and eventual coronial inquest into the disappearance of a 13-year-old Queensland boy has been announced as the winner of this year’s Australian Lawyers Alliance Civil Justice Award.
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Lawyers to pack out Gold Coast’s Sheraton for annual ALA conference
12th Feb 2013More than 350 lawyers and legal academics will fill the main conference room of the Sheraton Mirage Hotel, this weekend, as part of the annual Australian Lawyers Alliance two-day Queensland Conference.
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ALA expresses concern over new anti-doping body powers
11th Feb 2013The Australian Lawyers Alliance today expressed concern over the federal government’s plan to remove privilege against self-incrimination and to compel witnesses in Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) investigations.
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Vital legal rights at risk under NDIS Bill - ALA
10th Feb 2013Vitally important legal rights could be lost and some people with disabilities potentially left worse off under current draft NDIS legislation, according to peak legal body the Australian Lawyers Alliance.
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ALA welcomes Roxon's decision to review the right to offend
31st Jan 2013The Australian Lawyers Alliance today welcomed news from the Federal Attorney-General, Nicola Roxon, that she would revisit the exposure draft of the Government’s proposed anti-discrimination reforms – in particular the section removing the prohibition of causing offence.
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Unfair bureaucracy weighing NSW CTP scheme down
21st Jan 2013Endless and unfair bureaucratic processes foisted on vulnerable accident victims were the biggest factors in the NSW third party insurance scheme’s inefficiency, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.
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ALA applauds rejection of Police Costs Bill (SA)
29th Nov 2012The Australian Lawyers Alliance applauds the Upper House Independent Members and the Liberal Party for standing up, yet again, for the rights of the innocent.
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ALA welcomes NDIS Bill
29th Nov 2012The Australian Lawyers Alliance welcomes the National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill, introduced today.
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ALA hosts Chinese judges to educate about Australian judicial process
27th Nov 2012The Australian Lawyers Alliance met with 20 judges from in and around the Fujian Province in Sydney, today, as part of an educational exchange to examine court case management in Australia.
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Legal community welcomes review of SA CTP scheme
26th Nov 2012Australian and state peak legal bodies, the Australian Lawyers Alliance and the SA Law Society, are welcoming the SA CTP insurance White Paper report by SA Treasurer Jack Snelling, but warned administrative review was crucial to success of any such scheme.
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Doubt cast over Vic Gov plan to outlaw bikie gangs
21st Nov 2012Australian Lawyers Alliance member John Suta, who acts on behalf of nine members of the Wangaratta-based Tramps Motorcycle Club, today expressed serious doubts as to whether the proposed Victorian government legislation, to outlaw bikie gangs, will be legally enforceable in the state.
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Australian Gov failing in its duty to asylum seekers
19th Nov 2012The Australian Lawyers Alliance has labelled as ‘abysmal’ the Australian government’s failure to ensure 14 asylum seekers, facing rioting charges in a Nauru court, are given proper legal representation.
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ALA forms pro bono committee
19th Nov 2012A new pro bono collaborative committee, to help everyday Australians better access justice, is being formed between the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) and the National Pro Bono Resource Centre based at the University of NSW Law Faculty.
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Cardinal Pell must publicly accept church abuse to start true healing
16th Nov 2012“Cardinal George Pell must publicly acknowledge the widespread existence of child sexual abuse within the Australian Roman Catholic Church if he is genuinely concerned for victims and wants their true healing to start,” Australian Lawyers Alliance spokesman Andrew Morrison SC said today.
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ALA calls for immediate examination of taser use in NSW
14th Nov 2012The NSW Government should immediately examine the extent of use by police of Taser guns following damming findings given today by Coroner, Mary Jerram, into the death of Brazilian student, Laudisio Curti.
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Royal Commission into child sex abuse is first stage of justice
13th Nov 2012The Australian Lawyers Alliance is calling on the federal government to draw knowledge from Ireland’s victim restitution methods of 2009 when it comes time to consider how best to help compensate Australian institutional abuse victims as part of the Federal Royal Commission just announced.
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Royal Commission powers needed for NSW Inquiry into child sex abuse
12th Nov 2012The Australian Lawyers Alliance says a full, wide-ranging NSW Royal Commission into child sexual abuse in religious institutions is the only way of ensuring true justice is served for hundreds abused as children while in the care of religious institutions in the state.
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ALA renews calls for NSW Royal Commission into child sex abuse
9th Nov 2012The Australian Lawyers Alliance has renewed its call for a NSW Royal Commission into child sex abuse in religious institutions following further evidence by a senior police officer on the extent of abuse and alleged cover up practices in the Newcastle Hunter region.
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NSW govt errors show more financial capability to help injured workers
8th Nov 2012A manufactured deficit of $1billion on NSW Government’s books, which arose because of 37 accounting errors of more than $20 million each, looks like having indirectly played a role in winding back the financial entitlements of injured workers, Australian Lawyers Alliance NSW Committee member, Cliff Baker, writes.
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No-fault insurance schemes will lead to an unsafe Australia - ALA
30th Oct 2012"No-fault schemes contribute to death and injury in New Zealand as the removal of liability reduces incentive to optimise safety standards and to act with care towards fellow community members,” Australian Lawyers Alliance National President, Tony Kerin said today.
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Govt reaches new low with its treatment of asylum seekers
30th Oct 2012The Gillard Government has reached a new low in its inhumanity towards asylum seekers, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.
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Over 20 per cent of large law firm's internet data is infiltrated
27th Oct 2012“Most lawyers have a high level of confidential information on their computers, yet a survey of the profession, last year, found that 21% of all large law firms and 15% of other firms suffered a security breach in that time,” solicitor and consulting ethicist, Neil Watt, told the Australian Lawyers Alliance conference in Adelaide today.
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Pendulum swinging back to rights for injured to seek redress
26th Oct 2012For the first time since the media announced a “public liability crisis” in 2002, the pendulum is starting to swing back towards the rights of the injured to redress within our courts, lawyer Travis Schultz told the Australian Lawyers Alliance National Conference in Glenelg today.
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ALA National Civil Justice Award 2012
26th Oct 2012Justice crusaders Eddie Mabo and David Manne are this year’s winners of the Australian Lawyers Alliance National Civil Justice Award.
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NSW Workers Comp decision shows new laws are retrospective
24th Oct 2012Contrary to NSW Government assertions that recently introduced austere workers compensation laws would not be retrospective, a matter decided in the NSW Workers Compensation Commission yesterday, shows that, in fact, they will.
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David Manne among dignitaries at ALA National Conference
22nd Oct 2012David Manne, the lawyer who dashed federal government’s plans to process asylum seekers in Malaysia, is one of several dignitaries presenting at this year’s Australian Lawyers Alliance National Conference in Glenelg, South Australia this week.
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SA WorkCover’s $4 million blow-out
17th Oct 2012A significant deterioration in South Australian WorkCover’s performance has resulted in unfunded liabilities increasing from $1.billion to $1.4 billion the Auditor-General’s report tabled in parliament, yesterday, reveals.
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Draft NDIS legislation should be properly scrutinised
16th Oct 2012Draft NDIS legislation should be distributed to Australian disability groups, academics and lawyers, well before any parliamentary tabling, the ALA said today.
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WA sex offender website will not make community safer - ALA
15th Oct 2012“The Community Protection Website, released today by the WA Government, will not assist in reducing sex offences or making the community safer in WA,” Australian Lawyers Alliance director, barrister and criminal law spokesman, Greg Barns, said.
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ALA cautions against $50 million pledge for more CCTV cameras
8th Oct 2012The Australian Lawyers Alliance says that the pledge by Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott, today, to spend $50 million for additional CCTV cameras around Australia to monitor people’s movements in response to Jill Meagher’s death, does not take account of privacy concerns and potential misuse of cameras to profile groups and individuals.
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NT Minister’s decision not to discipline officers a disgrace - ALA
5th Oct 2012A lawyer representing the family of a man who died in a Northern Territory watchhouse, earlier this year, has labelled the Deputy Chief Minister’s announcement today, not to discipline the officers who contributed to his death, as shameful.
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ALA cautions that death should not lead to the overuse of surveillance
29th Sep 2012“The greater use of surveillance cameras by the Victorian Police and local government, as announced by Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu today, will not necessarily improve the detection of crime and comes with serious policy implications attached,” Australian Lawyers Alliance director and Criminal Barrister, Greg Barns, said.
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A second rate legal review service adds insult to injury - ALA
26th Sep 2012Injured workers should remain unexcited by the NSW Government’s announcement today of a new 'free legal review service' for some work injury disputes.
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Charitable VIC motorcycle club members are having property confiscated
26th Sep 2012Nine members of the Wangaratta-based Tramps Motorcycle Club have had their firearms, some of which are needed to work jobs and farming properties, confiscated by Victorian Police because of alleged prejudice and false assumption.
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NSW violent offender proposals fail fairness test - ALA
24th Sep 2012Proposed laws announced by NSW Attorney-General, Greg Smith, today, enabling violent offenders to be kept in prison beyond the term imposed by a court or only released subject to strict limits on their freedom, failed the fairness test, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.
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Proposed abolition of right to silence in NSW will allow police abuse
19th Sep 2012The right of individuals to remain silent when being interrogated by police is a fundamental human right reflected in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and in Canadian and US human rights laws and for New South Wales Attorney-General Greg Smith to give the community only 10 days to comment on his proposal to dismantle that right is appalling, said the Australian Lawyers Alliance today.
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Vocal national non-profit legal organisation in ACT for conference
18th Sep 2012A national non-profit legal organisation that has been calling for a National Inquiry into abuses in religious institutions as well as vocalising concerns about treatment of asylum seekers, children, mandatory sentencing and excessive police powers, will hold its annual ACT conference in Canberra on Friday.
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Nauru’s tent city shames Australia - ALA
11th Sep 2012The ALA reiterates its opposition to offshore processing, following reports of tents being erected to house asylum seekers for up to six months during the wet season on Nauru.
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ALA renews calls for Royal Commission into child sex abuse
11th Sep 2012The ALA renews its calls for a Royal Commission into child sexual abuse in religious institutions, following Anglican Bishop Brian Farran’s support for an open inquiry.
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Opportunistic politicians trading in human misery for votes - ALA
3rd Sep 2012“Professional people smugglers aren’t the only occupation trading in human misery in Australia – opportunistic politicians are capitalising on fear and ignorance with a quick easy vote-grab that harshly punishes some of the world’s most vulnerable people,” Australian Lawyers Alliance National President, Tony Kerin, said today.
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Inconsistency in NSW is draining disability rights - ALA
30th Aug 2012After much negotiation, NSW has announced it will provide an extra $35 million to support the rollout of a National Disability Insurance Scheme in the Hunter region to help 10,000 people with significant disability.
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Slavery and exploitation in Australia needs addressing - ALA
29th Aug 2012Victims of trafficking and slavery within Australia need better assistance under Australian law to ensure greater opportunities to heal from their traumatic experiences, the Australian Lawyers Alliance told a federal Inquiry into the issue in Canberra today.
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ALA tells inquiry Newstart puts injured workers in hardship
27th Aug 2012Concerns about Newstart Allowance payment inadequacy and the transition from alternative payments such of WorkCover has prompted the Australian Lawyers Alliance to submit to and appear before an Inquiry on the subject today.
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ALA welcomes end to mandatory sentencing for people smuggling crews
25th Aug 2012The Australian Lawyers Alliance is welcoming yesterday’s announcement by the Gillard Government of an end to mandatory sentencing for those crewing people smuggling vessels, but says those wrongly sentenced, under such laws, should now have their situations addressed.
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Lawyers emphasise right to choose in national insurance schemes
24th Aug 2012The National Disability Insurance and National Injury Insurance Schemes, being advanced by the Federal Government, are being discussed in Perth today (Friday 24 August) by lawyers at the coalface of personal injury law.
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Better treatment of asylum seekers will lead to less legal claims
23rd Aug 2012The Australian Lawyers Alliance today welcomed the AMA’s call for independent medical assessments of asylum seekers.
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Asylum seeker policies and NDIS concerns discussed at WA conference
21st Aug 2012The Australian Lawyers Alliance annual WA Conference in Perth on Friday promises a diverse and cutting edge program with presentations from the Western Australian Governor, high profile judges and specialist barristers and lawyers.
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Injured to suffer if ACT's 2011 CTP Bill is passed - ALA
20th Aug 2012The Australian Lawyers Alliance is expressing concern that the ACT Government’s 2011 CTP Amendment Bill, due for parliamentary debate on Wednesday, will leave many traffic accident victims with an inability to financially sustain themselves throughout their lives.
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Unjust mandatory sentencing laws jailing vulnerable and marginalised
17th Aug 2012“The jailing of an impoverished Indonesian fisherman in South Australia last Thursday, in what the trial judge labelled as the 'lowest level of involvement' for a people smuggling crime, is highlighting unjust Australian laws that discriminatorily incarcerate people,” Australian Lawyers Alliance National President, Tony Kerin, said today.
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ALA labels Gillard asylum seeker measures 'cruel and outrageous'
15th Aug 2012The Australian Lawyers Alliance is labelling as ‘cruel and outrageous’ rushed Federal Government plans to process asylum seekers in both Nauru and Manus Island by Friday.
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Fed Gov's plain packaging law a winner - ALA
15th Aug 2012The Australian Lawyers Alliance today congratulated the Federal Government on its landmark High Court win upholding the constitutionality of its plain packaging tobacco legislation against the challenge of tobacco companies.
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'Right to silence' crucial for democracy in NSW - ALA
15th Aug 2012The Australian Lawyers Alliance is expressing disbelief that the O’Farrell Government would strike at the heart of democratic principles with an attack on every NSW citizen’s right to silence by amending such a law.
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ALA welcomes panel recommendation to increase asylum seeker intake
13th Aug 2012The Australian Lawyers Alliance today welcomed an expert panel decision to increase the intake of asylum seekers into Australia, but is concerned about a recommendation for offshore processing in countries that can not guarantee the health and welfare of asylum seekers.
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Trial by media has no place in upholding justice in Hey Dad case - ALA
10th Aug 2012The Australian Lawyers Alliance is today urging restraint on the part of the media and the alleged victims of former Hey Dad star Robert Hughes, following prejudicial comments in the media that could impinge on Mr Hughes right to a fair trial.
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ALA responds to Abbott call to end Racial Discrimination Act provision
6th Aug 2012“Liberal Leader Tony Abbott’s proposal to wind back the Commonwealth Racial Discrimination Act’s protection against racial abuse should alarm all Australians,” Australian Lawyers Alliance Director and barrister, Greg Barns, said.
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Mandatory sentencing laws for people smuggling crews unfair - ALA
3rd Aug 2012“Organisers behind people smuggling stand to make windfall profits from each boat, however the skippers and crews of these vessels are often just additional victims of this trade in human misery,” Australian Lawyers Alliance Northern Territory spokesman, Greg Phelps, said today.
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Aust Gov must compensate children illegally detained - ALA
27th Jul 2012The Australian Lawyers Alliance is calling on the Australian Government to pay compensation to children who have been illegally detained in this country on suspicion of people smuggling following the release of a damning Human Rights Commission report on the matter today.
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Funding gaps likely to be exacerbated by poor NDIS planning - ALA
26th Jul 2012“Lack of structural detail for a National Disability Insurance Scheme will only exacerbate likely delays in rolling it out, following failure of all parties to agree on funding contributions at yesterday’s Council of Australian Governments meeting,” the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.
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NT immigration detention taskforce may cause more harm than good - ALA
24th Jul 2012The Australian Lawyers Alliance is expressing concern, today, that a new Commonwealth-funded police taskforce, being installed to manage violence in the Northern Territory, may create more harm than good.
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Failure to report may go straight to the top
10th Jul 2012The allegations of failure to disclose serious sexual abuse in the Catholic Church in Australia may now go right to the top.
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DPP should be briefed by police: Failure to report child sexual abuse
6th Jul 2012The ALA calls for a brief to be prepared by the police for the DPP in respect of the conduct of all three senior priests involved in the meeting at St Mary’s Cathedral on 3 September 1992, following the radio interview with Father Usher on ABC AM this morning.
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ALA renews calls for national inquiry into child sex abuse in church
5th Jul 2012The Australian Lawyers Alliance renews its calls for a national inquiry into the abuse of children within the Roman Catholic Church. It is unacceptable for the Church to investigate its own failure to investigate child sexual abuse.
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NSW WorkCover changes - Expect mental health crisis says ALA
4th Jul 2012“Traumatised families struggling to cope with horrific deaths of loved ones are being forced into financial hardship following the O’Farrell Government’s cuts to WorkCover compensation last month,” the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.
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Call for Royal Commission into abuse of children in care of church
4th Jul 2012The Australian Lawyers Alliance is calling for a National Royal Commission into abuse of children in the care of the Catholic Church, following an ABC Four Corners program on Monday night that assisted in publicly ventilating the issue.
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Apartheid-style legislation is incompatible with human rights
29th Jun 2012The Federal Government’s recklessness in pushing through parliament, with the support of some Opposition MPs, racist legislation, that sets the rights of Indigenous people in the Northern Territory back decades, will not go unchallenged, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.
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Dark day as bills threaten asylum seekers and Indigenous rights
28th Jun 2012“Two bills concurrently being considered by the Australian Federal Parliament flag the urgent need for a Federal Human Rights Act to protect the rights of the marginalised and disadvantaged,” Australian Lawyers Alliance National President, Greg Barns, said today.
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Limiting expert witness use in Vic civil trials may hinder justice
22nd Jun 2012The Australian Lawyers Alliance expressed concern today at news the Victorian Government is introducing new laws to limit and streamline the use of expert evidence in civil trials, fearing it will hinder access to justice in the courts.
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O'Farrell Government adds insult to injury with WorkCover changes
21st Jun 2012The Australian Lawyers Alliance has expressed its disbelief that the O’Farrell Government has pushed new severe workers compensation measures through the NSW Legislative Council yesterday, just five days after it tabled its report.
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ALA calls for independent prisons inspectorate
18th Jun 2012The Australian Lawyers Alliance has expressed concern about the case of a woman handcuffed to a South Australian prison bed for up to 20 hours a day.
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ALA critical at second attempt to erode rights by SA government
18th Jun 2012“The attempt by the South Australian Labour Government to again erode the right to be awarded costs in claims in prosecutions, which fail in summary hearings, shows disregard for the parliamentary process,” Australian Lawyers Alliance South Australian President, Tony Kerin, said.
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Call for inquiry into impact of no-fault insurance schemes
16th Jun 2012The Australian Lawyers Alliance is calling for a Parliamentary Inquiry into no fault schemes and the impact of such schemes on the lives of injury victims, following the presentations of keynote speakers and panel experts at its SA Conference in Glenelg yesterday.
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WorkCover mismanagement bodes ill for proposed insurance schemes
5th Jun 2012The Australian Lawyers Alliance is concerned that the mismanagement, which has eroded NSW WorkCover making it financially unsustainable, may be replicated in other insurance models such as the proposed National Disability Insurance Scheme and National Injury Insurance Scheme, unless greater transparency is adopted in government processes.
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Assange anti-extradition rally
30th May 2012Details released of the Julian Assange anti-extradition rally on Thursday 31 May 2012.
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WorkCover advertises its own mismanagement
28th May 2012WorkCover has released a list of what it describes as some of the worst cases of excessive claims that have ever been referred to it.
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More govt funds needed for drug prevention and treatment
24th May 2012“Today’s Institute of Criminology Report, released by the Justice Minister Jason Clare, linking drug use levels to crime, shows the only way to stop such criminal behaviour is by diverting funds from prison construction to drug prevention and treatment,” Australian Lawyers Alliance National President Greg Barns said.
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'Malaysian solution' challenger to receive ALA Civil Justice Award
16th May 2012The human rights work of leading immigration lawyer, David Manne, who was the lead player in putting an end to the Federal Government’s ‘Malaysian Solution’ will be recognised at the annual Australian Lawyers Alliance Victorian Conference in Lorne this week.
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ALA welcomes NDIS initiative
10th May 2012“The ALA today welcomes the Federal Government’s initial commitment to start funding the NDIS, but remains concerned regarding the long term financial sustainability of the scheme.”
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ALA calls for inquiry into South Australia's CTP Scheme
4th May 2012The Australian Lawyers Alliance is calling for a Parliamentary Inquiry into the South Australian Government’s planned CTP Scheme changes amid fears that an existing, fully-functional, fault-based scheme, currently delivering to the state’s road injured, is being sacrificed to force-fit the state into a national injury, no-fault insurance scheme, which may not deliver.
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Victorian WorkCover funds continue to be plundered - ALA
4th May 2012The Australian Lawyers Alliance is concerned that a three percent reduction in Victorian Workers Compensation premiums, while enticing superficially, hides a very black cloud that is floating over the rights of seriously injured workers.
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ALA applauds stance of Indigenous elders against 'Stronger Futures'
2nd May 2012The Australian Lawyers Alliance today applauded the bold stance of Indigenous elders in west and central Arnhem Land who are refusing to participate in land lease negotiations for mining exploration licences in revolt against the Federal Government’s Stronger Futures legislation.
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ALA calls for National Inquiry into sexual abuse of children
19th Apr 2012The Australian Lawyers Alliance today called for a National Inquiry into sexual abuse perpetrated in religious institutions.
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ALA concerned Assange's lawyer on 'no fly' list
19th Apr 2012Australian Lawyers Alliance National President, Greg Barns, has expressed grave concern at the placing of lawyer Jennifer Robinson on a ‘no fly list.’
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Government using 'smoke and mirrors' policy to retain power
13th Apr 2012The Australian Lawyers Alliance is concerned the federal government is misleading vulnerable Australians in a bid to bolster re-election prospects and that the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) will not live up to its potential benefit to the community.
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Harming a pregnant woman less serious than a policeman - ACT law
5th Apr 2012Under proposed ACT law it will be considered far more serious to harm a policeman than a pregnant woman, The Australian Lawyers Alliance is warning.
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ALA welcomes support on health-based drugs policy
3rd Apr 2012The Australian Lawyers Alliance welcomed the Australia 21 report to be released today by prominent Australians such as, Foreign Affairs Minister Bob Carr, former Health Minister Michael Wooldridge, former AFP Commissioner Mick Palmer and former NSW Director of Public Prosecutions Nicholas Cowdery QC, arguing that the 40-year war on drugs has failed and a new approach, that includes decriminalising some substances, should be adopted.
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Lawyers meet minister to discuss proposed WorkCover changes
28th Mar 2012Representatives of the legal profession including, The Australian Lawyers Alliance, The NSW Bar Association and The NSW Law Society, met with Finance Minister, Greg Pearce, today, to discuss proposed changes to Workers Compensation and Motor Accident compensation schemes.
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ALA calls for National Judicial Inquiry into police weapon use
19th Mar 2012The Australian Lawyers Alliance is calling for a National Judicial Inquiry into the use of Tasers, capsicum spray and other potentially lethal police weapons, following the death of a man in Sydney, yesterday.
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Bipartisan Stronger Futures policy in breach of international law
14th Mar 2012Release today of the Senate report on the proposed Stronger Futures law, has prompted the Australian Lawyers Alliance to warn the federal government to be wary of breaching international human rights decrees if the legislation passes through the Senate.
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Politicians ruling by stealth as wilful ignorance flourishes
12th Mar 2012Opinion piece written by Mandy Wyer for attribution to ALA National President, Greg Barns. It appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald Opinion page on Friday 16 March 2012.
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ALA concerned about erosion of rights
27th Feb 2012The Australian Lawyers Alliance, SA President, Tony Kerin, today commented on Treasurer Jack Snelling’s remarks at a Committee for Economic Development of Australia conference held in Adelaide on February 24, 2012.
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Stronger Futures film and consultation at Parliament House today
27th Feb 2012Notification of the Our Generation Indigenous film and Stronger Futures Consultation Evening at Parliament House theatrette, Canberra.
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ALA urges Qld election not to be another law and order auction
17th Feb 2012Australian Lawyers Alliance National President, Greg Barns, today urged all major parties in the forth-coming Queensland state election to steer clear of a law and order auction.
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ALA Civil Justice Award recipient recognised for flood assistance
17th Feb 2012A man who went beyond the call of duty to assist Queensland’s flood-ravaged and destitute communities, in December 2010, has been recognised with The Australian Lawyers Alliance Civil Justice Award.
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Removal of Victorian WorkCover funds threatens injured workers - ALA
10th Feb 2012The Australian Lawyers Alliance is concerned that a Victorian government plan to redirect $471.5 million in WorkCover funds away from injured worker compensation and occupational health and safety will result in more injured workers in Victoria being left without adequate care and support.
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Proposed Stronger Futures law will put more Indigenous people in jail
7th Feb 2012The Australian Lawyers Alliance said today that the federal government’s proposed Stronger Futures legislation will continue to erode Indigenous advancement and increase the Indigenous jail population.
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Indigenous rights documentary to be screened at Parliament House
3rd Feb 2012Concern that federal politicians are about to vote on crucial Indigenous rights legislation, without proper evaluation or community consultation, has prompted an Indigenous documentary screening and discussion evening at Parliament House, Canberra, this month.
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National Civil Justice Award 2011 recognises NT barrister
18th Nov 2011Northern Territory barrister Colin McDonald QC has been recognised for his outstanding advocacy with the National Civil Justice Award 2011.
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Raising the age of criminal responsibility to 12 will not help: must be 14
NeverVictoria must follow internationally accepted human rights standards and raise the age of criminal responsibility to 14.
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Media Coverage
NeverJust some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of May, 2018.
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Claims Harvesting
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The Uluru Statement from the Heart
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o ALA media release: insert headline www.lawyersalliance/inserturlhere
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