Senate Committee inquiry into the ALRC
On 11 February 2011, the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee held a public hearing for its inquiry into the ALRC. The Inquiry, which had been referred to the Committee on 23 November 2010, was called for largely to investigate the impact of heavy cuts to the ALRC budget over the last few years, and whether …
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Read moreThe Inquiry
1. On 9 July 2010, the Attorney-General of Australia, the Hon Robert McClelland MP, asked the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) to inquire and report on the treatment of family violence in Commonwealth laws, including child support and family assistance law, immigration law, employment law, social security law and superannuation law and privacy provisions in …
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Read moreIdentifying, informing and collecting information about family violence
22. Family violence may be directly or indirectly relevant to the administration of social security in a number of ways—in particular, in relation to: determining whether a person is ‘independent’ or a ‘member of a couple’; eligibility for exemptions from activity, participation, residence and administrative requirements; eligibility for weekly payments; eligibility for certain social security …
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Read moreFamily assistance
Background135. The Commonwealth has provided family allowances since 1941.[135] The current framework for family assistance comprises a range of payments and is primarily governed by two statutes: A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999 and A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999. These Acts are referred to in this Issues Paper as …
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Read moreThe Inquiry
1. On 9 July 2010, the Attorney-General of Australia, the Hon Robert McClelland MP, asked the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) to inquire and report on the treatment of family violence in Commonwealth laws, including child support and family assistance law, immigration law, employment law, social security law and superannuation law and privacy provisions in …
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Read moreAdequacy of its staffing and resources to meet its objectives
12. The question that lies at the heart of this Inquiry is the appropriate level of resources for the ALRC to fulfil its functions and to maintain the very high standards of work that has been achieved in the past—and for which the ALRC is renowned. Many of the submissions to this Inquiry questioned the …
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Read moreIntroduction
1. In December 2010, the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) made a preliminary submission to the inquiry into the ALRC by the Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee with the purpose of providing background information that would assist both the Committee and other interested stakeholders at the early stage of the inquiry. The ALRC indicated, …
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Read moreRole, governance arrangements and statutory responsibilities
4. The vast majority of the 23 submissions made to the inquiry, including from the Attorney-General’s Department, restate and support the importance of an independent law reform body, with appropriate levels of funding to continue to produce the high quality work that has characterised the ALRC for the past 35 years. 5. The ALRC’s role, …
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Read moreInformation sharing
85. The ALRC is directed by the Terms of Reference to consider whether information sharing across Commonwealth, state and territory agencies is appropriate to protect the safety of those experiencing family violence.86. The ALRC has heard in consultation that the MRT has, on occasion, had difficulty in ascertaining from courts whether family violence protection orders …
Publications
Read moreThe Inquiry
1. On 9 July 2010, the Attorney-General of Australia, the Hon Robert McClelland MP, asked the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) to inquire and report on the treatment of family violence in Commonwealth laws, including child support and family assistance law, immigration law, employment law, social security law and superannuation law and privacy provisions in …
Publications
Read more