Done By Law

Freedom of the Press in Australia:14 December 2010

The TV, newspapers and airwaves are awash with the WikiLeaks controversy and the arrest of its founder, Julian Assange. Joining us tonight to discuss the protections journalists are afforded in Australia against disclosing their sources or publishing information from these sources is Justin Quill, a leading Australian media lawyer from firm Kelly Hazel Quill.

Discrimination, Young People, and the case they won - 21 December 2010

In October this year, Cobaw Community Health Service won their case of unlawful discrimination against Christian Youth Camps (CYC).

The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal found CYC’s failure to accept Cobaw’s application to accommodate members of their queer suicide prevention and support group, “Wayout” at their Phillip Island Adventure Resort amounted to unlawful discrimination under the Equal Opportunity Act.

Tonight on Done By Law we talk to Sue Hackney, project co-ordinator for Wayout, about the decision.

Tune in on 855AM tonight.

HIGH COURT DECISION AND CIVIL LIBERTIES

In 2008 the South Australian government introduced ‘the world’s toughest anti-bikie laws’.

The legislation is designed to ‘disrupt and dismantle criminal bikie gangs’ and, some said, went too far in curtailing civil rights and liberties.

Earlier this month, the High Court of Australia agreed, and struck down the control orders as unconstitutional. Tonight we are joined by Dr Patrick Emerton, Lecturer at Monash University, to discuss the High Court’s decision and explain the implications for civil liberties in Australia.

A balancing act? The human rights of convicted sex offenders in Victoria

Victoria passed laws this year that allows for sex offenders to be kept in custody indefinitely after serving their sentence if they are considered likely to commit sex offences in the future.  The indefinite incarceration continues to take place in a prison, not rehabilitative type environment.

Tonight on Done By Law, we discuss the need to balance human rights against the need to protect the community from convicted offenders perceived to be a high risk of further offending.

Defending human rights in Columbia: 23 November 2010

Watershed protesters take government to court: 9 November 2010

The political and legal furore over the Wonthaggi desalination plant keeps heating up: a new legal action has been launched by protesters regarding the Victoria Police’s agreement to share law enforcement data with the private company building the plant. Tonight we discuss the issues with Christopher Heislers, from protest group Watershed and Elizabeth McKinnon, from the Environment Defenders Office.

Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Women in Victorian Prisons

DBL:Vic Police Taser FOI:19 October 2010

Tonight on Done By Law we will be speaking with Sarah Nicholson, formerly from the Federation of Community Legal Centres, in relation to the Federation’s recent work about police use of force and Tasers. The Federation recently launched a report Taser Trap -  Is Victoria falling for it? that brings together internal Victoria Police documents, publicly available information and the experience of CLCs. Sarah will speak about the lengthy process involved in obtaining the Victoria Police documents and what has happened with previous independent recommendations related to police accountability. For more information see www.communitylaw.org.au.

DBL: How care leavers can seek justice: 12 October 2010

About half a million Australian children were brought up in ‘care’ in the 20th century. These children were placed in out-of home care and in institutions. The institutions included children’s homes, orphanages, and industrial or training schools. They were administered by the State, religious or charitable institutions and welfare groups. Children who were brought up in care have been labelled ‘Ex or Former Residents’, ‘Homies,’ ‘Wardies’, ‘Orphans’, ‘Foster Kids’, ‘Stolen Generations’, ‘Child Migrants’ and ‘Forgotten Australians’. The most inclusive term for them is ‘Care Leavers’.

Many Care Leavers experienced abuse while in ‘care’ – either sexually, physically, emotionally or by neglect. This abuse is often referred to as Institutional Abuse. Tonight we’ll be talking about the legal issues and practical obstacles Care Leavers face in Australia when they try to seek justice for the Institutional Abuse they suffered.

UN Committee on Racial Discrimination highly critical of Australia