Civil rights
Media and commentary related to our work protecting and advancing civil rights. This includes police accountability, justice in youth detention, asylum seeker rights, discrimination, access to justice and Raise the Age.
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The Canberra Times: LGBTQI reforms bring NSW in line with other states
Director of Policy and Advocacy Alastair Lawrie provided comments to the Canberra Times.
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SMH: Police visited Megan’s home 153 times in less than two years. Now she is fighting back.
Our major test case against NSW Police was covered in the Sydney Morning Herald.
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Mothers sue police over months of disruptive and intimidating home visits
The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) is representing Megan* and Joanne*, two mothers suing NSW Police following months of disruptive and intimidating visits to their homes. PIAC has filed cases for both women in the NSW Supreme Court, asking the Court to decide if the visits were a misuse of power and amount to trespass.…
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Star Mail: Debate rumbles on regarding religious discrimination law reform
Our support of the ALRC’s recommendations on discrimination in religious schools was covered in the Star Mail.
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2SER: Religious discrimination and religious schools, what’s going on?
Director of Policy and Advocacy Alastair Lawrie joined 2SER Breakfast to provide an update about proposed changes to discrimination law.
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The Canberra Times: Ending discrimination won’t cause the sky to fall
Our Director of Policy and Advocacy, Alastair Lawrie, wrote an op-ed on discrimination in faith based schools.
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SMH: Fury as Albanese told to scrap religious schools rule
Religious schools should lose their unfettered right to dismiss teachers and expel students over questions of sexuality or gender identity, the nation’s law reform commission has found, in an explosive report that calls for action to safeguard human rights. … Equality Australia called it a “blueprint for reform” and cited Thorpe and others in support…
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Guardian live blog: PIAC calls ‘on the federal government to adopt the recommendations of the Australian Law Reform Commission’s anti-discrimination inquiry’
Alastair Lawrie, Director of Policy and Advocacy, commented on the ALRC’s recommendations.
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Government must act on ALRC recommendations to protect LGBTQ students and teachers
The Public Interest Advocacy Centre welcomes today’s release of the Australian Law Reform Commission’s (ALRC) report from its inquiry into the special legal privileges that allow religious schools to discriminate against LGBTQ students and teachers. The ALRC report recommends amendments to the Sex Discrimination Act and Fair Work Act to ensure students and staff do…
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SMH: Albanese’s sudden retreat on religious discrimination sparks Dutton fury
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has sparked a political firestorm over gay rights, gender and religious freedom by vowing to shelve changes to discrimination law unless he gains Coalition support for new rules for thousands of schools and other faith-based institutions. The sudden move marks a retreat on Labor’s election pledge to update the law to…