Done By Law

DBL: Changes to the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity laws. Is it time to panic?

Victoria has had Equal Opportunity laws since 1977.  The new Victorian Equal Opportunity Act 2010 was the brainchild of the former State government.  The new Act is due to commence on 1 August this year.  However, the current State government has introduced proposed changes into Parliament regarding the new Act.  Some argue that these proposed amendments are a step back for anti-discrimination laws.  In addition, the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities is currently being reviewed.  Joining us tonight on Done By Law to discuss the changes to both pieces of legislation is someone who works wtih these laws on a daily basis- the Commissioner of the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, Helen Szoke.

Age discrimination - National Seniors Australia Report: 10 May 2011

Did you know that older workers contribute $59.6 billion a year to our economy?  However, we lose an overwhelming $10.8 billion a year by not using the skills and experience of older people who are looking for work.  Despite the enactment of anti-discrimination laws, age discrimination is rife in Australia.

National Seniors Australia recently commissioned a report The Elephant in the Room which examines the occurrence of age discrimination in Australia.  The report found that employers have learnt to side-step age discrimination laws whilst still engaging in discrimination.  Tonight, on Done By Law, we speak with Michael O’Neill,  Chief Executive for National Seniors Australia, about the findings and recommendations in this report.

Public housing and human rights: 26 April 2011

A recently proposed law will give the Office of Housing the powers to evict public housing tenants who have been charged with drug trafficking. We speak with Chris Povey from Homeless Persons Legal Clinic to explore the debate around appropriate use of tax-payer funded housing and broader concerns such as the impact on families and emergency housing sectors. We also talk with Huy Zhou from Fitzroy Legal Service about issues of double punishment, the law’s impact on criminal proceedings, and the contradiction inherent in evicting people from public housing for the same reasons that often lead them to require housing in the first place.

Sex Discrimination and the Australian Defence Forces: 19 April 2011

In Australia, we are generally not permitted to discriminate on the basis of gender in the course of employment.  The Sex Discrimination Act regulates against this type of discrimination.  However, the law also allows the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to obtain an exemption from employing women in positions involving the performance of combat duties.

Tonight on Done By Law, we will be discussing whether our laws should continue to maintain the allowance of this exemption against women in the ADF.  We will discuss the arguments for and against the exemptions.

Tune in tonight at 6pm.

Get to know the Arts Law Centre: 12 April 2011

The Arts Law Centre of Australia is a community legal centre that provides free/low-cost legal advice to people in the arts, or people who work for an arts organisation.  In the studio tonight is Serena Armstrong, a lawyer who has been involved with the Arts Law Centre of Australia for over seven years.  Serena will be speaking with us about the work of the Centre including its education and law reform activities.  She will also speak about the Centre’s “Artists in the Black” service for the Indigenous arts community.

Public order offences: 22 March 2011

On tonight’s show we look into the deceptively benign public order offences - crimes such as being drunk in public, using offensive language or offensive behaviour or not “moving on” when asked to by police – and the way that these offences have a way of disproportionately impacting on the homeless, the young, the mentally ill and other users of public space. We speak with Tamar Hopkins, the Principal lawyer of Flemington/Kensington Legal Centre and a leading practitioner in the area of policing and human rights. Tamar will discuss with us how public order offences can to lead to discriminatory policing practices - where police over-zealously target certain ethnic groups or age groups in seeking to uphold the law – and the impact that this can have on individuals and the community.

Sex Work Regulation: 8 March 2011

To celebrate International Women’s Day, Done by Law is examining the issues around regulation of the sex work industry in Victoria. One of the problems is that research, inquiries and media coverage often occurs without the voice of those women who are sex workers and who are most impacted by the laws. We speak with Janelle Fawkes and Elena Jeffreys from Scarlet Alliance, the Australian Sex Workers Association.

Not seen, Not Heard- Violence against people with a disability: February 15 2011

Coroner’s court 22 February 2011

This week we speak with human rights advocate Charandev Singh who, for close to twenty years, has worked with families who find themselves involved in coronial proceedings. Charandev describes the workings of the Coroners Court and provides information supporting access to justice for people who have lost a loved one.

Community Legal Centres: 8 February 2011

For almost 40 years, Community Legal Centres, or “CLCs”, have been working at the legal frontline to promote human rights and social justice. There are a number of suburban, rural and specialist Community Legal Centres scattered throughout Victoria. These centres provide a range of services - they offer free legal advice to those who might not otherwise be able to afford representation, and make law reform submissions to a range of reviews by government and law reform bodies to agitate for change.

The Federation of Community Legal Centres is the umbrella organisation that provides direction and support for Community Legal Centres. Joining us tonight on Done by Law is Michelle McDonnell, who is a Policy Officer with the Federation of Community Legal Centres.