annual report 08-09 - Public Interest Advocacy Centre

PUBLICATIONS
50
Harmonising spent convictions laws in Australia: submission
to the Standing Committee of Attorneys General on the Draft
Model Spent Convictions Bill 2008 (SA) (4 February 2009)
PIAC provided comments to the NSW Attorney-General’s
Department on the Standing Committee of Attorneys-General
(SCAG) Draft Model Spent Convictions Bill 2008 (SA), supporting the
harmonisation of spent convictions laws in Australia. PIAC identified
the need for greater clarity in relation to findings of guilt where no
conviction is recorded (section 10 determinations) and suspended
sentences.
Response to the Australian Energy Regulator draft
distribution determination 2009-10 to 2013-14
(16 February 2009)
The AER draft determination included significant rises in the cost
of electricity. In this submission, PIAC argued that a number of
the regulator’s decisions should be reviewed for their impact on
residential consumers.
Deepening democracy: Submission to the Australian
Government in response to the Electoral Reform Green Paper
(23 February 2009)
Australian electoral law reform is long overdue. Democracy benefits
from having diverse views represented in parliaments, public
debates and campaigns. It is through the presence of different voices
that new agendas can be developed, that vested interests can be
challenged, and that governments can be held to account.
A just and fair prison system: Principles or profit? Submission
to NSW Legislative Council General Purpose Standing
Committee No 3 - Inquiry into the Privatisation of Prisons and
Prison-related Services (2 March 2009)
PIAC believes that there are basic public interest principles that
should guide policy and program development in relation to
corrective services. These are the maintenance of substantive equality;
the promotion, protection and fulfilment of human rights; equitable
standards of health care, the primary goal of rehabilitation and public
accountability. In this submission, PIAC expressed significant concern
that these principles will be undermined by further privatisation of
prisons and prison services, including health services, in NSW.
Taking action on homelessness: Response to the NSW
Homelessness Action Plan (2 March 2009)
The Homeless Persons’ Legal Service (HPLS) commented on a
number of proposed actions affecting legal and related rights. It
noted the need to address particular groups currently outside the
protection of tenancy law, such as boarders and lodgers, as this
increases the risk of homelessness due to evictions without cause.
Lifting the veil of secrecy: response to ALRC 34: Review of
Secrecy Laws (9 March 2009)
In this submission, PIAC argued that the application of criminal
sanctions under secrecy laws should be determined by the nature
of the information at stake, and the potential, if any, for its release
to damage vital public interests. Principles developed under the
equitable duty of confidence should be regarded as the touchstone
for principled protection of government information. Section 70 of
the Crimes Act 1914 (Cth), which presently imposes criminal liability
for disclosure of any official information by government officers,
should be repealed.
Opening the door for disability access: submission to the
House of Representatives Standing Committee on Legal and
Constitutional Affairs Inquiry into the draft Disability (access
to Premises - Buildings) Standards (13 March 2009)
PIAC focussed on the compliance, monitoring and enforcement of the
Standards, with limited comments only on the technical specifications.
PIAC noted that the exclusion of housing (both single dwelling and
multi-dwelling developments) is inappropriate given the need to
increase the affordable and accessible housing stock in Australia.
PUBLIC INTEREST ADVOCACY CENTRE • ANNUAL REPORT 2008-2009