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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AAP: Premier claims credit for higher jail rate
CEO Jonathon Hunyor responded to NSW Premier Minns claiming credit for higher numbers of people in jail and on remand.
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CityHub: Controversial New Hate Speech Laws Passed In NSW
JEC Director of Policy and Advocacy, Alastair Lawrie calls for the Minns Government to address serious gaps in the new hate speech laws.
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New criminal offence for inciting hatred ‘excludes more groups than it actually protects’
Today, NSW Parliament passed the Minns Government’s Crimes Amendment (Inciting Racial Hatred) Bill 2025. As a result: While courts have confirmed that ‘racial hatred’ includes antisemitism, other types of prejudice regularly covered by anti-discrimination laws (including Islamophobia) are not covered. Attorney General Michael Daley has only committed to ‘consider’ adding other attributes to be protected…
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Proposed hate crimes laws leave vulnerable groups unprotected
The Minns Government’s Crimes Amendment (Inciting Racial Hatred) Bill 2025 fails to protect many vulnerable groups in the NSW community.
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LSJ: Drawing the line on hate: Are Australia’s new laws the answer, or an overreach?
Commentary from Director of Policy and Advocacy, Alastair Lawrie, was featured in analysis of new hate speech laws.
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2SER: How New Hate Crime Laws Fail To Protect LGBTIQ+ People
JEC Director of Policy and Advocacy, Alastair Lawrie, explains how LGBTIQ+ people remain unprotected despite recent changes to NSW Hate Speech laws.
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LSJ: Minns government dangerously disregards anti-LGBTIQ+ hatred
JEC Director of Policy and Advocacy, Alastair Lawrie, explains how the NSW Government’s hate crime laws fail to protect LGBTIQ+ people.
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2SER: How the Commonwealth Government Can Protect Children
JEC Principal Solicitor, Jonathan Hall Spence explains how the Australian Government has the constitutional powers to protect children.
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The Saturday Paper: NSW Police Force’s use of AI raised watchdog concerns
NSW Police stopped using its controversial STMP program in 2023, but its new AI tool has attracted criticism.
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LSJ: State systems are hurting kids, but the Commonwealth can protect them
This op-ed from Principal Solicitor, Jonathan Hall Spence explains the actions the Australian Government can take to protect children in custody.