ALRC submission to the inquiry into the Telecommunications Interception and Intelligence Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2010
28 October 2010 Mr Hamish Hansford Committee Secretary Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs PO Box 6100 CANBERRA ACT 2600 Dear Mr Hansford, The Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs’ inquiry into the Telecommunications Interception and Intelligence Services Legislation Amendment Bill …
Publications
Read moreFamily violence and Commonwealth laws
This Inquiry looked at the treatment of family/domestic violence in Commonwealth laws, including child support and family assistance law, immigration law, employment law, social security law, superannuation law and privacy provisions in relation to those experiencing family/domestic violence.
Inquiries
Read moreALRC submission to the inquiry into exposure drafts of Australian privacy amendment legislation
Ms Christine McDonaldSecretary, Legislation CommitteeSenate Standing Committee on Finance and Public Administration 23 July 2010 Dear Ms McDonald Inquiry into exposure drafts of Australian privacy amendment legislation The Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) welcomes the release of the Australian Privacy Principles Exposure Draft and Companion Guide as a major plank in the implementation of the …
Publications
Read moreALRC reforms strike a blow to the old culture of secrecy
Secrecy laws, and the prosecution of public servants for the unauthorised disclosure of Commonwealth information, can sit uneasily with the Australian Government’s commitment to open and accountable government. The final report of the Australian Law Reform Commission’s comprehensive review of Commonwealth secrecy laws, Secrecy Laws and Open Government in Australia (ALRC Report 112) was tabled …
News/Media Release
Read moreSecrecy laws and open government
Secrecy laws that impose obligations of confidentiality on individuals handling government information—and the prosecution of public servants for the unauthorised disclosure of such information—can sit uneasily with the Australian Government’s commitment to open and accountable government. Secrecy laws have also drawn sustained criticism on the basis that they unreasonably interfere with the right to freedom …
Inquiries
Read moreALRC submission to inquiry into the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment Bill 2009
16 October 2009, The Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) makes the following submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee Inquiry into the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment Bill 2009 (Cth) (the Bill). The ALRC does not intend to provide detailed comments on the issues raised by the Bill. However, the ALRC would like …
Publications
Read moreGovernment gives giant ‘tick’ to ALRC privacy recommendations
The Australian Law Reform Commission has welcomed today’s announcement by the federal Government that it will implement a large portion of the recommendations of the ALRC’s review of Australian privacy laws.The first stage of the Australian Government’s formal response to For Your Information: Australian Privacy Law and Practice (ALRC 108) considers 197 of the 295 …
News/Media Release
Read moreALRC proposals to wind back federal secrecy laws
The Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) today released a Discussion Paper for its current inquiry into federal secrecy laws—Review of Secrecy Laws (DP 74, June 2009)—which makes 65 proposals for reform.The ALRC is seeking community feedback about how to balance a growing commitment to increased openness and transparency in government with the legitimate need to maintain the …
News/Media Release
Read moreReview of Secrecy Laws (DP 74)
This Discussion Paper contains a more detailed treatment of the issues raised in the Issues Paper (IP 34) and indicates the Inquiry’s thinking in the form of specific reform proposals.DP 74 is divided into 15 chapters. Proposals for reform are not spread evenly throughout. The early chapters provide mainly contextual or background material, which does not …
Publications
Read moreReview of Secrecy Laws: Inquiry Snapshot
To facilitate communication about the nature and focus of this Inquiry the ALRC released an overview document, Review of Secrecy Laws—Inquiry Snapshot, in February 2009.Itis written in plain language and provides a ready access to information about the Inquiry and is available online as a virtual document.
Publications
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