JEC updates
Updates on Justice and Equity Centre events, work and community.
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Our continued commitment to the Uluru Statement from the Heart
On the second anniversary of the Voice referendum, we remain steadfast in our support for the Uluru Statement from the Heart.
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Online forum: LGBTQ discrimination in religious schools and organisations
Join Anglican Minister and academic Rev Dr Angus McLeay in conversation with discrimination law expert and LGBTQ+ advocate Alastair Lawrie to explore the intersection between ‘religious freedom’ and anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination in Australian religious schools and organisations. WHEN: 1-2pm, Tuesday 19 August 2025RSVP: [email protected] —————————————————————————— In many parts of Australia, the law permits religious schools and social…
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NITV: ACT chooses ‘care over cruelty’ by raising the age of criminal responsibility to 14
JEC CEO Jonathon Hunyor explained why the ACT Government have made the right decision for kids and communities.
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2SER: Déjà vu for LGBTQ Students and Teachers in Religious Schools
Our Director of Policy and Advocacy, Alastair Lawrie, broke down the failures of successive governments to protect LGBTQ students and teachers in religious schools.
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Social Justice Dinner 2025 photo gallery
We are delighted to share a gallery of photos from our 2025 Social Justice Dinner.
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Social Justice Dinner 2025: celebrating the power of our community
Our guest speaker Cassandra Goldie reflected on the need to fight for social justice and build empathy.
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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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Our vision for social justice in 2025
We have a bold vision for a fairer Australia in 2025. We will fight discrimination and injustice, and promote reforms to policing, immigration detention and energy systems.
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‘Enough is enough’: Aboriginal communities take child protection reform into their own hands after years of government inaction
Reflecting on five years of inaction since the Family Is Culture Review, Aboriginal organisations are calling for urgent and meaningful reform.
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Oliver Williams, Justice and Equity Centre Aboriginal Social Justice Graduate, wins Ngalaya award
Oliver described his pride at receiving the award and his ambition to achieve First Nations justice.
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Pro Bono Australia: Tackling injustice through reforming the law
Principal Solicitor Jonathan Hall Spence spoke to Pro Bono Australia about his career and his work at the Centre.
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Changing our name to the Justice and Equity Centre
We have changed our name to better reflect our mission: to build a fairer, stronger society by challenging laws and practices that cause disadvantage and inequality.
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LSJ: PIAC rebrand – A new name for a fairer, stronger society
The Law Society journal covered our renaming to the Justice and Equity Centre.
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Lawyers Weekly Show: A check-in on various social justice issues across Australia
CEO Jonathon Hunyor spoke to The Lawyers Weekly Show about the state of social justice legal work in Australia.
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Australian laws still allow schools to sack gay teachers
Excerpt from Q News: Laws allowing religious schools to sack teachers on the basis of their sexuality or gender identity should be repealed, advocates say, as Brisbane’s Citipointe Christian College is back in the news. … The Public Interest Advocacy Centre also said the NSW government must scrap the state’s own “broad and outdated” exemptions…
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The Guardian: Why are some Australian households about to be charged for generating too much solar power?
Since 2021, the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) has been assessing the states or territories where electricity prices should take into account the cost of having lots of solar panel owners exporting power to the grid.
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Social Justice Dinner 2024: a celebration of hope and justice
Highlights from our keynote speaker Raimond Gaita.
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PIAC welcomes new Chair and Director
PIAC is pleased to announce Sera Mirzabegian SC as the new Chair of the PIAC Board following our annual general meeting on 16 November 2023. Sera is a senior barrister practicing in commercial litigation, regulatory investigations, class actions and human rights. Sera has acted for the Australian Human Rights Commission and the Australian Securities and…
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PIAC Annual Report 2023
Our annual report shows how we have improved laws and practices across our five priority areas.
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2024 Social Justice Dinner
Each year PIAC brings together a community of people passionate about justice and equity. Join us to connect with colleagues and collaborators, be inspired by social justice trailblazers and learn how PIAC and partners will tackle injustice in 2024 and beyond. We are delighted to have renowned philosopher and writer Raimond Gaita in conversation with human…
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Sydney Law School establishes two scholarships for disabled students
The David Benjafield Scholarship, named after Professor David Benjafield (1919-1980) who was a founding member of the New South Wales Law Reform Commission, he also presided as Dean and taught at Sydney Law School for more than twenty years. The Scholarship is open to both undergraduate and postgraduate students in the Law School. Another program,…
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Using FOI laws to ensure accountability
Documents about our client’s detention under COVID-19 public health orders were heavily redacted. After we sought a review at NCAT, new versions were provided.
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A tribute to Betty Hounslow AM
PIAC joins in paying tribute to social justice advocate and activist Betty Hounslow AM. We send our condolences to her partner Kate Harrison and her network of family, friends and colleagues. Betty was well-known and respected for her work across human rights issues including LGBTIQ+, asylum seeker and workers’ rights. Betty was a core member…
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Hitting the right note
PIAC CEO Jonathon Hunyor spoke to the Law Society Journal about his career, why working in social justice requires patience, and how the law can support communities to find lasting solutions. Jonathon Hunyor has spent most of his life working with instruments: be it playing the trumpet in a big band or using the law…
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The opportunities ahead in 2023
2023 presents significant opportunities to make meaningful advances in social justice. Here are some of the ways we will be using our expertise in policy and law reform – with targeted advocacy in the courts, media and parliaments – to help make change happen. Raising the age of criminal responsibility PIAC continues to coordinate the…
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2023 Social Justice Dinner
Each year PIAC brings together passionate people and organisations to celebrate our combined achievements and energise our work to reduce inequality and injustice. Join our 10th Social Justice Dinner to connect with colleagues and collaborators, be inspired by social justice trailblazers and learn how PIAC and partners will tackle injustice in 2023 and beyond. We…
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Storytelling & social justice: In conversation with Suzie Miller
Please complete the form to confirm your attendance at: Storytelling & social justice: In conversation with Suzie Miller Wednesday 9 November 2022 5.30pm – 7pm The Lobby, 60 Martin Place, Sydney
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View from the CASL – A legal finance podcast
The legal finance industry is interesting, diverse and constantly changing. We will speak each week to people involved in the legal finance industry to provide you with tips and tricks to accessing, obtaining and using legal finance. In this sixth episode, we are excited to speak with Jonathon Hunyor, the CEO of the Public Interest…
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The Aussie lawyer turned playwright making a West End debut – with a megastar lead
PIAC Alumni Suzie Miller and her dramatic critique of how the justice system treats sexual assault victims is set to premiere on the West End. Next up: a work celebrating the life of US legal legend Ruth Bader Ginsburg.