Emily Mitchell

• The challenge of transboundary environmental disasters

  9th Dec 2015

  Following the devastation surrounding the Samarco mine disaster, the Brazilian government has filed legal proceedings against the companies involved. Emily Mitchell, Senior Policy Officer at the Australian Lawyers Alliance asks: had transboundary damage occurred, would there have been such swift action? 

• Nauru and the Moss Review

  19th May 2015

  A Senate inquiry is currently examining the Commonwealth's duty of care in Nauru following the release of the Moss Review, which detailed abhorrent allegations of sexual abuse and harassment in the centre. We submitted to the inquiry, asserting that the Commonwealth has a duty of care both at common law and under work, health and safety laws. 

• Five years of waiting for investigation into Montara oil spill

  21st Aug 2014

  Five years ago today, the Montara oil spill began in Australian waters of the Timor Sea. For five years, Indonesian communities have claimed to have suffered detrimental impacts to their health, environment and economy. To date, there has still not been an independent investigation, writes Australian Lawyers Alliance's Emily Mitchell. 

• Examining calls for an institutional abuse redress scheme

  15th Aug 2014

  This week, the Truth, Justice and Healing Council recommended that a national redress scheme be established to compensate survivors of institutional abuse. The devil is always in the detail, writes the Australian Lawyers Alliance’s Emily Mitchell.

• Budget overview: Cuts to justice and human rights

  15th May 2014

  With the Federal Budget announced on Tuesday night, commentary has spread far and wide. Here, we provide a snapshot overview of some of the suggested changes that impact on human rights review, legal assistance, Indigenous rights, asylum seeker rights and human rights education.

• Budget overview: How are the injured placed?

  15th May 2014

  With the Federal budget cuts targeting $80 billion from health and education over the next decade, the young, unemployed and injured are likely to carry the weight of the burden. Here, we provide for our readers a short overview of some of the cuts that may affect injured people and people living with a disability.

• Racial discrimination changes to axe vicarious liability & exemptions

  1st May 2014

  Proposed changes to the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth) are being hotly debated in the media, however, the focus on s18C could be missing crucial issues, writes Emily Mitchell, Legal and Policy Officer at the Australian Lawyers Alliance.