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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Ramping up public transport access for people with disability
Both PWDA and the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) have taken the stance that a breach of the Transport Standards is unlawful, constituting ‘unlawful discrimination’ under the DDA. … Amongst the recommendations made in PIAC’s submission, it advocated that “the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth) be amended to insert a cost determination model”. That model…
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UN committee report slams Australia’s ‘inhuman’ prisons
Australia’s prison and detention practices are inhuman, degrading and in some cases may amount to torture, a United Nations report has found. The UN has delivered a scathing assessment of Australia’s treatment of prisoners, immigration detainees and juvenile offenders, despite attempts to block inspectors from local facilities. … Public Interest Advocacy Centre principal solicitor Jonathan…
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PIAC responds to scathing UN subcommittee report on Australian detention
The United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (‘SPT’) visited Australia in October 2022 to investigate Australia’s compliance with the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. The SPT visited 6 prisons, 3 youth detention centres, 5…
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9 News: Woman takes Qantas to Federal Court because her assistance dog is banned from flying
Because of her disability, Rachael Fullerton always travels with her assistance dog Strike, but the pair are barred from flying with national carrier Qantas. She can fly with Virgin Australia and board a Rex flight with the loyal border collie, who is registered as an assistance animal, and she can travel with him on any…
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NDIS participant takes Qantas to court over denying travel to assistance dog
An NDIS participant is taking Qantas to court over allegations of disability discrimination after the airline barred her assistance dog from travelling with her on its planes, AAP reports. Rachael Fullerton and her border collie assistance dog Strike first made the request to Qantas for approval in late 2022, but the airline has failed to…
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Qantas taken to court for refusing to let assistance dog on flight
An NDIS recipient is taking Qantas to court over allegations of disability discrimination after the airline barred her assistance dog from travelling with her on its planes. Rachael Fullerton and her border collie assistance dog Strike first made the request to Qantas for approval in late 2022, but the airline has failed to recognise her…
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Qantas taken to Federal Court after refusing to let assistance dog on flight
Rachael Fullerton can’t imagine travelling without her assistance dog, Strike. Ms Fullerton, who lives with multiple disabilities, said her faithful border collie has helped her reach unprecedented levels of independence since he came into her life a few years ago. … PIAC senior solicitor Sheetal Balakrishnan said Ms Fullerton could not fly without Strike, as…
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Qantas in court over Strike the assistance dog
The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) has taken Qantas to the Federal Court on behalf of their client Rachael Fullerton, for not allowing Rachael’s assistance dog Strike to travel with her on Qantas fights. Rachael has a disability and Strike has been trained to provide Rachael with psychological and physical support. The National Disability Insurance…
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Why are travel insurers still denying mental health cover?
A CHOICE mystery shop of 15 travel insurance providers finds discrimination against people with mental health conditions. … The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) has also played a major part in pushing the industry toward fairer treatment of people living with a mental illness. In a 2021 report, PIAC highlighted cases where travel insurance claims…
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PIAC investigating a class action for people handcuffed in immigration detention
PIAC is investigating a potential class action lawsuit on behalf of people who have been unlawfully handcuffed in immigration detention. Current and former detainees who were handcuffed while in immigration detention are invited to share their experiences in a short online survey. Answers to 2022 Senate Budget Estimates showed that in one year the government…