Lawyers to rally over legal aid crisis in election campaign
With the election in full swing and neither party responding to the legal aid funding crisis, lawyers from across Australia will hold rallies and events in major cities during Law Week (16-20 May). The rallies and events will launch a major national campaign on legal aid funding, with widespread support from the community sector, which…
Law Council welcomes appointments to the Federal Courts and the AAT
The announcement by the Attorney-General of appointees to the Federal Court, Family Court and Federal Circuit Court will ensure that some of Australia’s busiest courts will continue to benefit from a wealth of experience, knowledge and expertise. The Government has today announced: Federal Court: Mr Stephen Burley SC (commencing in the Sydney registry on 23…
Independent counter-terrorism report addresses key concerns of the legal profession
A report released today by the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor has recognised key concerns from the legal profession about improving the safeguards of people subject to the new control order regime. The report, Part 2 of the Control Order Safeguards Report (INSLM Report), has responded to several key recommendations of the Law Council to…
Legal profession among winners in Singapore-Australia FTA review
Australian lawyers and law schools have been rewarded with long-term market access certainty following a review of the Singapore-Australia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) completed today. The announcement means that lawyers in both countries will benefit from a ‘ratchet’ mechanism that will lock-in the ongoing liberalisation of Singapore’s legal services market. It also means that for…
Congratulations to new Commonwealth DPP and Human Rights Commissioners
The Law Council of Australia applauded the appointment of the new Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) as well as the new Disability Commissioner, Age Discrimination Commissioner and Human Rights Commissioner – all announced by the Attorney-General today. The President of the Law Council, Stuart Clark AM, said that the appointment of Ms Sarah McNaughton…
Recommendation of strategy for the abolition of the death penalty applauded
The Law Council of Australia today commended Parliament on adopting its recommendation to develop, fund and implement a whole-of-government Strategy for the Abolition of the Death Penalty – with a particular focus on countries in the Indo-Pacific and the United States of America. The recommendations are contained in the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs,…
Budget does nothing to address crisis in legal aid
Legal aid continues to be underfunded to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars following the release of the 2016-17 federal budget. With the budget intended to be directed toward growth and economic sustainability, Law Council President, Stuart Clark AM, said budgetary inaction on legal aid was a false economy. “The Productivity Commission’s advice…
Cyber Security Strategy a strong step in safeguarding legal profession and their clients’ confidentiality
The Federal Government’s announcement of a multifaceted, $230 million Cyber Security Strategy is a significant initiative that will strengthen the legal profession’s ability to protect their clients’ confidential information, according to the Law Council of Australia. The cyber threat faced by Australian organisations, including law firms, is growing at an alarming rate, with the incidence…
Law Council calls for mandatory sentencing to be dropped for alcohol-related offences on 25th anniversary of Aboriginal Deaths in Custody Royal Commission
The Law Council of Australia will tell a Senate inquiry into the need for a nationally-consistent approach to alcohol-fuelled violence today that mandatory minimum penalties for alcohol-fuelled violence offences should be repealed. The peak body for Australian lawyers emphasised that mandatory sentencing is not effective as a deterrent or consistent with rule of law principles….
25th anniversary of Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody
15 April 2016 marks the 25th anniversary of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. The Royal Commission found that the alarmingly high number of deaths in custody was directly related to the disproportionately high number of Aboriginal people who were arrested and imprisoned. A quarter of a century later, the issue of over-representation of Aboriginal…
Law Week 2016
Law Week 2016 begins on Monday, 16 May and runs until Friday, 20 May. Law Week provides a chance for the community and the legal profession to engage in an open dialogue and build a shared understanding of the role of law in society. The opening of Law Week on Monday, 16 May coincides with…
Law Society committed to gender equality in the legal profession
The Law Society of Western Australia reaffirms its commitment to gender equality across the legal profession. The Law Society has adopted the Law Council of Australia’s Diversity and Equality Charter, which states that the legal profession will treat all people with respect and dignity regardless of their gender, or indeed any other arbitrary feature. This…
