Terms of Reference
Review of Commonwealth Laws for Consistency with Traditional Rights, Freedoms and PrivilegesI, Senator the Hon George Brandis QC, Attorney-General of Australia, having regard to the rights, freedoms and privileges recognised by the common law,REFER to the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) for inquiry and report pursuant to section 20(1) of the Australian Law Reform Commission …
Inquiries
Read moreScope and Limits of Constitutional Power
1012. The ‘Races’ Power. Section 51 of the Constitution provides that the Commonwealth Parliament has power ‘to make laws for the peace order and good government of the Commonwealth with respect to’ an enumerated list of topics. For present purposes, the most important source of power is the ‘races’ power (s 51(26)), although the recommendations …
Publications
Read moreHuman Rights and Indigenous Minorities: Collective Guarantees
171. Fundamental Guarantees for Minorities. Modern international law contains certain basic guarantees for minority groups, in particular, rules prohibiting genocide,[4] apartheid and racial discrimination.[5] The fear is sometimes expressed that the recognition of Aboriginal customary laws would or might lead to a form of apartheid, to the partitioning of the Commonwealth into rigidly exclusive ‘bantustans’ …
Publications
Read moreSubmissions
The views and opinions expressed in the submissions belong to their authors and do not reflect those of the Australian Law Reform Commission. Readers are advised that some submissions contain content that they may find offensive and distressing. Individuals Organisations 1. P Nolan 9. Healinglife Church and Ministries Inc 2. C Bauer 75. Australian Discrimination …
Inquiries
Read moreNew ALRC Inquiry: Religious Educational Institutions and Anti-Discrimination Laws
The Australian Law Reform Commission has today received Terms of Reference from the Attorney-General of Australia, the Hon Mark Dreyfus KC MP, to consider reforms to the way Federal anti-discrimination laws apply to religious educational institutions. The Government has appointed New South Wales Supreme Court Judge, the Hon Justice Stephen Rothman AM, as a Part-Time …
News/Media Release
Read moreTerms of Reference
I, the Hon Mark Dreyfus KC MP, Attorney-General of Australia, having regard to the Government’s commitment to amend the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth) and other Federal anti-discrimination laws (as necessary), including the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth), to ensure that an educational institution conducted in accordance with the doctrines, tenets, beliefs or teachings of …
Inquiries
Read moreReligious Educational Institutions and Anti-Discrimination Laws
Federal anti-discrimination laws, including the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth) and the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth), prohibit discrimination in a wide range of settings against people on grounds including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or relationship status, or pregnancy. However, these laws provide exceptions for religious educational institutions, including schools. These exceptions mean that …
Inquiries
Read moreALRC in the media – 2022
The ALRC monitors the media for references to the Commission and its inquiries. This list is not comprehensive.
News/Media Release
Read moreALRC in the media – 2021
The ALRC monitors the media for references to the Commission and its inquiries. This list for 2021 is not comprehensive.
News/Media Release
Read moreTerms of Reference
Amended Timeframe for reporting On 2 March 2020 the Attorney-General amended the ALRC’s reporting deadline to be 12 months from the date the Religious Discrimination Bill is passed by Parliament. Amended Terms of Reference 29 August 2019 I, the Hon Christian Porter MP, Attorney-General of Australia, having regard to: The original terms of reference for …
Inquiries
Read more