Australia

  • Greens federal cannabis bill will prevent court & police time being wasted on minor drug offences

    10th Aug 2023

    Legalising the adult recreational use of cannabis in Australia makes sense, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) supporting The Greens Legalising Cannabis Bill 2023 which was introduced in Federal Parliament today.

  • Work deaths in Australia top 92 for 2018

    13th Sep 2018

    An exploration of the worker fatality and serious workplace injury rates for 2018 so far.

  • Australia’s human rights record comes under UN scrutiny

    17th Oct 2017

    Australia’s approach to implementing and protecting human rights will be scrutinised by a United Nations (UN) committee this week, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

  • Psychometric testing of malingering

    10th Aug 2017

    Professor Ian R Coyle discusses the accuracy of Symptom Validity Assessment Tests (SVTs) in assessing the psychological status of litigants and identifying malingering

     

  • Workers compensation and human rights

    13th Apr 2017

    Since the enactment of the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities (Charter) in 2006, it has been necessary for Victorian legislation to be compatible with the 20 basic human rights set out in the Charter.

  • Nervous shock & psychiatric claims after the loss of a child

    16th Feb 2017

    The law in Australia as it currently stands has the capacity to compound a parent’s grief in such circumstances and generate more than justified contempt towards the legal system. Particularly given the widely accepted view across the community would be that entitlement to compensation in such horrific circumstances would be considered both reasonable and appropriate.

  • Interim ban on ethanol burners after a spate of accidents & injuries

    9th Feb 2017

    In late 2016 there were a number of announcements about the interim, 60-day, banning of ethanol burners in Queensland, and across other states and territories. The bans followed 38 incidents in Queensland and 117 in total across Australia since 2010.

  • UN Refugee Summit NY: Turnbull breaks commitments

    29th Sep 2016

    Anna Talbot and Greg Barns report on the UN Refugee Summit in New York and why the Turnbull Government's current approach breaks our commitment to the UN Refugee Convention. 

  • Does Australia need Ryan’s Rule?

    11th Aug 2016

    As a parent, it is natural to worry when your child becomes sick. With time being of the essence, parents and family members may feel their concerns are not being listened to. After all they are the ones who know when their children and loved ones are unwell.  Unfortunately, a situation arose in 2007 which changed the way in which Queensland Health listened to these concerns.

  • Human rights in OPCs: No Business in Abuse

    30th Oct 2015

    No Business in Abuse board member, Jacob Varghese, argues Transfield has breached its human rights obligations in its provision of services to the Australian Commonwealth on Manus Island and Nauru.

  • Australia’s opaque offshore asylum policy on Nauru

    2nd Oct 2015

    Joshua Dale reflects on the Senate committee inquiry into the Nauru regional processing centre and the lack of transparency.

  • Ferouz legal team named ALA Queensland 2015 Civil Justice Award Winner

    13th Feb 2015

    The legal team which fought to free baby Ferouz and his family from detention has been declared the winner of the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) Queensland Civil Justice Award.