Tasmanian national preventive mechanism Implementation project Consultation paper 1
16 March 2023
Following Australia’s ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture (OPCAT) in 2017 and Tasmania passing the OPCAT Implementation Act 2021, the Tasmanian Government is consulting stakeholders on the shape the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) should take. The NPM functions to conduct inspections and oversight of all places where humans are deprived of liberty.
The ALA highlights specific places of detention including Risdon Prison (and maximum-security units in particular) as well as police station cells as areas of particular relevance to the function of an NPM. Finally, we recommend implementation models that demonstrate best practices of an OPCAT compliant NPM with reference to NPM models in Denmark, the UK and New Zealand.
A final consultation paper will be made available in the coming weeks to which the ALA will respond.
ALA submission