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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Australia’s use of handcuffs on asylum seekers inhumane and unlawful, advocates say
‘Exclusive: Landmark case in federal court to test handcuff use when transferring mentally ill detainees ‘Australia’s use of handcuffs to transfer asylum seekers to medical appointments is unlawful, inhumane, traumatising and illegally restricts access to healthcare, particularly for those with a history of mental illness and torture, a landmark new case alleges…’
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Test case challenges the misuse of handcuffs against detained asylum seekers
An asylum seeker has launched a landmark test case that highlights the excessive use of force in Australian immigration detention centres. The case challenges the inhumane use of handcuffs to restrain men and women attending offsite medical appointments which is often disproportionate to any genuine risk. PIAC’s client, Yasir*, is taking action under the Disability…
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Opinion: Religious discrimination bill will create an unholy mess
‘One Nation’s Anti-Discrimination Amendment (Religious Freedoms and Equality) Bill 2020 gets one thing right — the lack of protection for religious belief is a genuine gap in NSW anti-discrimination law.’ ‘But when it comes to the detail, the bill not only goes the wrong way about introducing these much-needed protections, it represents a serious threat…
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Legal organisations remain concerned about the impact of secret policy on children and young people
A coalition of NSW legal and social justice organisations have reiterated serious concerns about the application of the NSW Police’s Suspect Targeting Management Plan (STMP) to children and young people. The NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research has today released its evaluation of whether there is an association between the use of the STMP…
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Victims must be considered in complaint handling reform
The NSW Legislative Council Legal Affairs Committee has completed its inquiry into One Nation’s Bill to amend processes for lodging discrimination complaints. Their recommendations about the Anti-Discrimination Amendment (Complaint Handling) Bill 2020 are a mixed bag. In positive news, the Committee recommends the Bill’s proposed changes to sections 89B and 92 of the Anti-Discrimination Act…
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Ombudsman highlights excessive use of force in immigration detention
The Commonwealth Ombudsman has made alarming revelations about the increasing use of force and restraints in immigration detention. The Ombudsman’s recently released independent oversight report identified an increased tendency for detention centre staff to use force as a first choice rather than a last resort in resolving conflict and managing behaviour. The report suggests…
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New research highlights mental health discrimination by super funds
PIAC has joined with Super Consumers Australia to call on super funds and insurers to stop discriminating against people who have mental health conditions. Research released by Super Consumers in early July found that Australia’s biggest superannuation funds are seeking to limit claims under total and permanent disability (TPD) by people who may be unemployed…
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Re-opening Christmas Island is a cruel and ineffective response to the threat of COVID-19 in immigration detention
The Commonwealth Government’s decision to re-open the Christmas Island immigration detention centre, announced yesterday, is a cruel and ineffective response to the growing threat of a COVID-19 outbreak in Australian immigration detention centres. Recent clusters around aged care facilities in Melbourne have shown that even a single case of COVID-19 in a contained environment like…
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Should ten year olds be jailed?
Australia is out of step with most of the world when it comes to the age we send kids to jail – here 10 year olds can be locked up. Most countries of Europe insist children need to be aged between 12 and 16 and it is sobering to note, of the children incarcerated aged…
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Attorneys-General defer decision to raise the age, despite decades of research supporting change
The Council of Attorneys-General (CAG) yesterday failed to commit to raising the age of legal responsibility from 10 to 14, leaving Australia out of step with the rest of the world, at odds with social and medical research, and out of touch with community expectations. Today a group of NSW-based organisations have joined together to…