Publications
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Submission to the AEMC Review on Improving Consultation Procedures in the Rules
PIAC made a submission in response to the AEMC review on improving consultation procedures in the rules. PIAC supported the intent of the proposed changes to enable greater flexibility in consultation based on consistent principles. We made recommendations for considerations in developing new procedures and supported retention of two-round consultations as the default. Requests for…
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Civil Society Report on United Nations Human Rights Committee Concluding Observations 2017 – 2019: Australia
The purpose of this follow-up report is to respond to the information received by the Committee from Australia on 8 November 2019,1 and provide a high-level summary of key developments since that time. It supplements the submission prepared by RCOA in November 2019 (‘2019 Civil Society Report’),2 much of which remains relevant. The Andrew &…
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Submission to the AER’s Draft Better Bills Guideline
PIAC responded to the Australian Energy Regulator’s (AER) Draft Better Bills Guideline. PIAC supports using the proposed tiered approach to energy bills to ensure a logical and consistent flow of easily locatable information. We support some prescription on how certain aspects of mandatory information be laid out. In particular, Tier 1 information should be laid…
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Submission to the Discussion Paper on the Review of the Privacy Act 1988
PIAC welcomed the opportunity to lodge submissions to the Australian Government’s Review of the Privacy Act 1988, in response to the Review’s Discussion Paper. In the context of the evolving digital economy, the emergence of new technologies and the increasing amount of time spent by Australians online, collection of personal information is increasing. The review…
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NDIS – 2021 in review
In our NDIS ‘year in review’ end of year report, authored by PIAC’s Chadwick Wong and Dr Darren O’Donovan at La Trobe University, we consider the key legal developments of the year, and look ahead to another year of reform. The report sets out the reforms which were proposed in 2021, how the NDIS Act…
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Submission to Customer export curtailment value methodology issues paper
PIAC responded to the Australian Energy Regulator’s (AER) consultation on a methodology for calculating Customer Export Curtailment Values (CECV). PIAC raised some concerns with aspects of the proposed methodology. We consider a consistent approach across all Distribution Network Service Providers (DNSP) should be used to forecast CECVs. DNSPs may be best-placed to forecast CECVs, however,…
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Submission on the Religious Discrimination Bills to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee
PIAC supports the prohibition of discrimination on the basis of religious belief under Commonwealth law. However, PIAC is unable to support the Religious Discrimination Bill 2021 as introduced because it is a radical departure from existing anti-discrimination law principles and norms. If passed, the Religious Discrimination Bill 2021 would undermine the rights of women, LGBTI…
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Submission on the Religious Discrimination Bills 2021 to the Joint Committee on Human Rights
PIAC supports the prohibition of discrimination on the basis of religious belief under Commonwealth law. However, PIAC is unable to support the Religious Discrimination Bill 2021 as introduced because it is a radical departure from existing anti-discrimination law principles and norms. If passed, the Religious Discrimination Bill 2021 would undermine the rights of women, LGBTI…
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Healthcare denied: Medevac and the long wait for essential medical treatment in Australian Immigration Detention
This report examines the treatment and provision of health care for people brought to Australia into immigration detention as part of the Medevac scheme. Under the Medevac scheme, refugee and asylum seekers were transferred to Australia from Nauru and Papua New Guinea to obtain medical treatment that was not available in those places. The scheme…