Appendix G: Participation in external inquiries

Often through its inquiry work the ALRC has already conducted valuable research into areas of law or legal processes that become subject to review by other agencies or parliamentary committees. Where appropriate and relevant, the ALRC provides briefings or written submissions to parliamentary committees, Ministers, government departments, and other bodies. In this way, the experience and knowledge the ALRC develops during inquiries is shared for the benefit of the Australian community.

The ALRC is guided by a protocol that outlines when it is appropriate for the ALRC to give a briefing or to make an external submission. The considerations include:

  • the consonance of issues raised in the review or inquiry being undertaken by the external body with issues covered in current or past inquiry work of the ALRC;

  • the consonance of issues raised in the review or inquiry being undertaken by the body and the expertise and knowledge of current Commissioners and staff members; and

  • the availability of, and impact upon, ALRC resources.

Where appropriate, submissions are made available on the ALRC website.

During the reporting period, the ALRC made the following submissions:

  • Submission to the NSW Legislative Council Standing Committee on Law and Justice inquiry into Remedies for the Serious Invasion of Privacy in New South Wales, drawing on Serious Invasions of Privacy in the Digital Era (ALRC Report123);

  • Submission to the Victorian Law Reform Commission inquiry into The Role of Victims of Crime in the Criminal Trial Process, drawing on Family Violence: A National Legal Response (ALRC Report 114);

  • Submission to the Communities, Disability Services and Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Committee regarding the Domestic and Family Violence Protection and Another Act Amendment Bill 2015, drawing on Family Violence: A National Legal Response (ALRC Report 114) and Family Violence and Commonwealth Laws—Improving Legal Frameworks (ALRC Report 117);

  • Submission to the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs inquiry into so-called ‘revenge porn’, drawing on For Your Information: Australian Privacy Law and Practice (ALRC Report 108) and Serious Invasions of Privacy in the Digital Era (ALRC Report 123);

  • Submission to the Queensland Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee’s consideration of the Criminal Law (Domestic Violence) Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2015, drawing on Sentencing (ALRC Report 44), Same Crime, Same Time: Sentencing of Federal Offenders (ALRC Report 103) and Family Violence: A National Legal Response (ALRC Report 114);

  • Submission to the Copyright Law and Policy Section, Department of Communications and the Arts on the exposure draft of the Copyright Amendment (Disability Access and Other Measures) Bill 2016, drawing on Copyright and the Digital Economy (ALRC Report 122);

  • Submission to the Commercial and Administrative Law Branch, Attorney-General’s Department regarding the exposure draft Privacy Amendment (Notification of Serious Data Breaches) Bill 2015, drawing on For Your Information: Australian Privacy Law and Practice (ALRC Report 108);

  • Submission to the Senate Standing Committees on Community Affairs inquiry into the Indefinite Detention of People with Cognitive and Psychiatric Impairment in Australia, drawing on Equality, Capacity and Disability in Commonwealth Laws (ALRC Report 124);

  • Submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee inquiry into the Migration Amendment (Family Violence and Other Measures) Bill 2016, drawing on Family Violence and Commonwealth Laws—Improving Legal Frameworks (ALRC Report 117);

  • Submission to the Department of Communications and the Arts in response to the Issues Paper for the Review of the Australian Media and Communications Authority, drawing on ClassificationContent Regulation and Convergent Media (ALRC Report 118);

  • Submission to the Legislative Council General Purpose Standing Committee No.2 inquiry into Child Protection, drawing on Family Violence: A National Legal Response (ALRC Report 114);

  • Submission to the Remuneration Tribunal’s Judicial and Related Officers Review 2016.