Equality

• Gender issues for lawyers during and after the pandemic

  21st May 2020

  In this article, Emma Dawson explores the disproportionate impact on women's careers, remuneration and superannuation both during the COVID-19 shutdown, and in its economic aftermath. Although working remotely during the shutdown period has no doubt been somewhat of an ‘eye-opener’ for some of the domestic partners of female lawyers about the unpaid work so many do, it may be too early to hope for a permanent shift in the division of unpaid domestic work. Nevertheless, the building blocks have been laid. Post-COVID will offer many challenges, but also many opportuntities to do things differently.

• Racial discrimination laws no threat to free speech

  28th Feb 2017

  A 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.

• Equality in the Jury Room: A case study

  1st Jul 2016

  The denial of a deaf person’s right to exercise their citizenship by participating in juries in Australian courts is longstanding. The stereotyped perceptions against deaf jurors being able to perform these duties without undermining the administration of justice are deeply entrenched in Australian society and court systems. Despite the New South Wales Law Reform Commission’s inquiring into this issue in 2006 and the recent report from Australian Law Reform Commission, Equality, Capacity and Disability in Commonwealth Laws, which called for law reform and support to enable deaf persons to participate as jurors, the reality remains that Australian law does not support the participation of deaf jurors.

• Norrie: paving the way for meaningful recognition of sex and gender

  5th Jun 2014

  The recent High Court decision in Norrie was significant in its recognition of identity, and that not all human beings can be classified by sex. Giri Sivaraman and Alessandra Peldova-McClelland examine the case's impact on LGBTI rights in Australia.

• Racial discrimination changes to axe vicarious liability & exemptions

  1st May 2014

  Proposed changes to the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth) are being hotly debated in the media, however, the focus on s18C could be missing crucial issues, writes Emily Mitchell, Legal and Policy Officer at the Australian Lawyers Alliance.

• Vicarious liability to be chopped under RDA changes

  30th Apr 2014

  Employers 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.

• Proposed changes to RDA will disallow people from utilising law

  26th Mar 2014

  Proposed changes to the Racial Discrimination Act will effectively disallow people from utilising the law, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.

• ALA lauds NZ in voting to acknowledge same sex marriage under law

  18th Apr 2013

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance today congratulated New Zealanders on their leadership and humanity in acknowledging same sex unions as legitimate marriages under law.

• ALA welcomes Roxon's decision to review the right to offend

  31st Jan 2013

  The 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.

• 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.