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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An evening with playwright Suzie Miller
Suzie Miller is a lawyer and playwright. Her play RBG: Of Many, One ran at the Sydney Theatre company between October and December 2023. Suzie’s other work includes the hugely successful Prima Facie, which will play on Broadway later this year, following success on London’s West End and in cinemas as part of the National…
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Australian Government urged to strengthen response on audio description
Disability advocates are urging the Australian Government to commit to changing the law to require audio description be provided on Australian television, in line with a UN Committee recommendation. Audio description gives verbal narration of important visual elements such as scenes, settings, actions, costumes and on-screen text. Following a complaint from disability rights advocate Lauren…
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2SER: the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersex Discrimination and Transphobia.
17 May is IDAHOBIT, the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersex Discrimination and Transphobia. The day is widely recognised in Australia as an opportunity to draw attention to the discrimination that many LGBTQI+ people still face. Alastair Lawrie, PIAC’s Director of Policy and Advocacy, spoke to 2SER Breakfast about the history of IDAHOBIT and why…
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2SER: An appropriate cost model for Commonwealth discrimination cases
The Federal Government is looking at changing unfair laws that discourage people from taking a discrimination or sexual harassment complaint to court. Their review is in response to the National Inquiry into Sexual Harassment and its Respect@Work report, which revealed that people aren’t taking those complaints to court because of the financial risk of having…
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We’ve failed the LGBTQIA+ class of 2023
Opinion piece from PIAC Director of Policy and Advocacy Alastair Lawrie LAST week, the Australian Law Reform Commission was meant to hand the Attorney-General its final report into religious schools and the exceptions which allow them to discriminate against LGBTQIA+ students and teachers. But late on the day before, the deadline was pushed back to…
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Delay to ALRC religious schools inquiry leaves LGBTQ students and teachers exposed to discrimination
The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) is seriously concerned about an 8-month delay on the outcome of the Australian Law Reform Commission’s (ALRC) inquiry into the legal exceptions that allow religious schools to discriminate against LGBTQ students and teachers. The ALRC’s final report was due to be handed to Commonwealth Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus today (21…
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Outcome of inquiry allowing religious schools to hire based on faith pushed back by eight months
The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) says it is “seriously concerned” about an eight-month delay on the outcome of an inquiry into legal exceptions allowing religious schools to discriminate against LGBTQ+ students and teachers. The Australian Law Reform Commission’s (ALRC) final report was due to be handed to attorney general Mark Dreyfus today, but was…
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Joint statement: Time for equal access in discrimination claims
We all deserve to be safe at work and free from discrimination and sexual harassment. While sexual harassment is pervasive across all industries and all employment levels in Australia, it is not inevitable. The Australian Government has the power to prevent discrimination and sexual harassment by adopting an equal access costs model to ensure that…
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‘Vile’ Mark Latham tweet could be grounds for vilification complaint under NSW law, experts say
Gay men in New South Wales could have grounds to bring a complaint of homosexual vilification against Mark Latham over a tweet that saw him labeled a bigot by the premier and brought independent MP Alex Greenwich to tears, legal experts say. … The Public Interest Advocacy Centre’s policy director, Alastair Lawrie, believed a complaint…
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2SER: Police oversight body calls for an overhaul of ‘consorting laws’
A report from the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission shows that consorting laws are being used to unfairly target Aboriginal people in NSW. And, they continue to be used on children under 18. The report recommends making changes, to ensure the laws are properly targeted to the serious crimes they were designed for. The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) has welcomed…