In the media
Legal Aid Victoria: Robust law reform is crucial to
ensure respect at work
A key recommendation that Victoria Legal Aid and other
legal and community services support is a more proactive and
preventative approach from employers, that lifts the burden from
victims of harassment. This includes an enforceable "positive
duty" under the Sex Discrimination Act (08 April 2021).
More...
Australian Government's response to Respect @Work
report
In 'A Roadmap for Respect: Preventing and Addressing
Sexual Harassment in Australian Workplaces' (the Roadmap for
Respect), the Government provides its response and sets out its
long-term commitment to preventing and addressing sexual harassment
(08 April 2021).
More...
Stage 2 defamation reform process begins
Attorney General Mark Speakman said the second stage of
the NSW-led review of national defamation laws opens in new window
will examine the extent to which platforms such as search engines
and social media sites should be liable for reputation-damaging
material published online (07 April 2021).
More...
New Federation website goes National
A new source of information about the architecture of
Australia's Federal relations has been launched by the
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Opening the new
website 'federation.gov.au', PM&C said it provided the
latest updates on the National Cabinet, the National Federation
Reform Council and other intergovernmental bodies (05 April 2021).
More...
533 million Facebook users' phone numbers and
personal data have been leaked online
The personal data of over 500 million Facebook users has
been posted online in a low-level hacking forum. The data includes
phone numbers, full names, location, email address, and
biographical information, and could be used by hackers to
impersonate people and commit fraud (03 April 2021).
More...
Reappointment of sex discrimination commissioner and age
discrimination commissioner
Attorney-General Michaelia Cash congratulates Ms Kate
Jenkins and the Hon Dr Kay Patterson AO on their reappointment as
Commissioners of the Australian Human Rights Commission (01 April
2021).
More...
Victoria leading the way towards gender equality
Victoria has taken a nation-leading step towards achieving
gender equal workplaces in the public sector, with the commencement
of the Australian-first Gender Equality Act 2020 (31 March 2021).
More...
Helping renters navigate tenancy rights as COVID-19 left
them 'reeling'
Tenants Victoria needed to help people understand and
assert their tenancy rights while facing the compound stressors of
pandemic uncertainty, changing rules and legislation, and a near
overnight shift to remote work (29 March 2021).
More...
Royal Commission to probe veterans' deaths
A Royal Commission into the suicide of Defence and
military veterans is to be established by the federal Government
following consultation with State and Territory Governments.
Crucially, the Royal Commission will not defer, delay or limit in
any way, any proposed or announced policy, legislation or
regulation that we are currently implementing (22 April 2021).
More...
Tackling sexual harassment in our courts and
tribunals
The Andrews Labor Government has welcomed the report of
the Review of Sexual Harassment in Victorian Courts – marking
another important step forward in stamping out sexual harassment in
the workplace (19 April 2021).
More...
Criminal jury trials on track to resume in regions
The Andrews Labor Government is boosting regional
courtroom capacity, enabling criminal jury trials to resume –
keeping the justice system moving while improving the safety of
communities (19 April 2021).
More...
New appointment to Victoria's highest Court
The Andrews Labor Government announced the appointment of
Solicitor-General Kristen Walker QC as a judge of the Court of
Appeal (13 April 2021).
More...
In practice and courts
Law Council update
The Law Council produces a fortnighly newsletter which
highlights the Law Council's important activities and advocacy.
View the latest editions here:
1
April 2021
15
April 2021
AAT bulletin
The AAT Bulletin is a weekly publication containing a list
of recent AAT decisions and information relating to appeals against
AAT decisions.
Issue No. 7/2021, 6 April 2021
Issue No. 8/2021, 19 April 2021
AustLII cyber law on the map
AustLII has announced the upcoming launch of the
Cyber Law Map, an annotated guide to Australian cyber-related
legislation and case law which is intended to be an evolving wiki
categorising cyber law and case information. The non-commercial
venture is to be launched on 25 March and will be freely available.
More...
AHRC: Independent Review into Commonwealth Parliamentary
Workplaces
The Commission will not be investigating nor making
findings about individual allegations of bullying, sexual
harassment or sexual assault as part of the Review. The Commission
will report on its findings and recommendations in a report to be
tabled in Parliament in November 2021. The Terms of Reference
outline the scope of the Review in more detail.
More...
LSC: Regulation of litigation funding schemes
The Legal Services Council has amended the Legal
Profession Uniform General Rules 2015 with effect from 22 August
2020 so the prohibitions in s 258(1) and (3) of the Legal
Profession Uniform Law do not apply in relation to litigation
funding schemes now regulated as managed investment schemes. The
new rule will operate for 12 months to allow for consultation See
the Legal
Services Council website.
Victoria
Commonwealth and Victorian Courts' COVID
updates - Supreme Court of Victoria
From 6 April 2021, civil trials involving the
cross-examination of one or more witnesses may be conducted in
Court subject to the availability of a courtroom and appropriate
safeguards. Click
here for more information.
Inquiry into the Use of Cannabis in Victoria - Have your
say
The reporting date for this inquiry has been extended to 1
June 2021. Once the report is tabled in Parliament, an electronic
copy will be available for download from the
Report page.
Inquiry into Management of Child Sex Offender
Information - Have your say
The reporting date for this inquiry has been extended to
30 August 2021. Once the report is tabled in Parliament, an
electronic copy will be available for download from the
Report page.
Inquiry into Victoria's Criminal Justice System -
Have your say
The Legislative Council Legal and Social Issues Committee
is accepting submissions to its Inquiry into Victoria's
criminal justice system. Submissions close on 1 September 2021. More...
Published – articles, papers, reports
What's really at stake with vaccine passports
Elizabeth Renieris, Centre for International Governance
Innovation: 05 April 2021
In this article, the author suggests that rather than thinking
about vaccine passports as temporary and isolated public
health-related measures, we should view them as just one example of
how the pandemic is accelerating the rollout of digital identity
infrastructure across the world. More...
Composition of Australian Parliaments by party and
gender: A quick guide
Anna Hough
Politics & Public Administration Section, APH: 16 April
2021
This quick guide contains the most recent tables showing the
composition of Australian parliaments by party and gender (see
Tables 1 and 2 below). It takes into account changes to the
Commonwealth and state/territory parliaments since the last update
was published on 2 December 2020.
More...
Women, Peace and Security 2021-2031 plan
Australian Government: released 12 April 2021
The new National Action Plan identified four outcomes that would
support coordinated action across Government.
More...
Legislation
Victoria
Statutory Rules as made
No. 26/2021 Service Victoria Act 2018Service Victoria
(Transfer of Worker Screening Functions)
30/03/2021 – 6 Transferred customer service
functions; 7 Transferred identity verification functions
8 Secrecy provisions
No 28/2021 County Court (Chapter I Circuit Fees, Expenses
and Allowances Amendment) Rules 2021
01/04/2021 – Witnesses' expenses and
interpreters' allowances
Acts
Police and Emergency Legislation Amendment Act 2020 (Vic)
Date of commencement: 7 April 2021 - ections 3 and 4 of this Act
came into operation on 7 April 2021 (SG152 30.03.2021) Part
3—Amendment of Crimes Part 4—Amendment of Family
Violence Protection Act2008
Act Number: 29/2020
Gender Equality Act 2020 (Vic)
Date of commencement: 31 March 2021 - Parts 1 to 8 of this Act came
in by forced commencement on 31 March 2021 s.2(3) Act Number:
5/2020
Spent Convictions Act 2021 (Vic)
Act Number: 13/2021 Date of assent: 30 March 2021
Victorian legislation can be accessed here www.legislation.vic.gov.au
This publication does not deal with every important topic or change in law and is not intended to be relied upon as a substitute for legal or other advice that may be relevant to the reader's specific circumstances. If you have found this publication of interest and would like to know more or wish to obtain legal advice relevant to your circumstances please contact one of the named individuals listed.