Crime and Human Rights: Recent Legal Developments

[elysepopplewell]

I'm creating this thread as a place for us to post about things that are happening in the world as we speak! Feel free to post something you heard on the news, link to an article, or to discuss a recent event.

[elysepopplewell]

Last night, Four Corners revealed atrocities occurring in a Northern Territory Juvenile Detention Centre. Malcolm Turnbull has called a royal commission! Follow this up for your Young Offender Notes. The Four Corners documentary brings up a lot of legal issues! You can watch the episode online now.

[elysepopplewell]

Follow the "NSW" Labor page on facebook and view a video that Bill Shorten just posted discussing the justice gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. This is relevant for young offenders but also for those studying Indigenous people as their option study.
"It is shocking that in modern Australia a young Aboriginal man of 18 is more likely to end up in jail than university. We must close the justice gap." - Shorten

[elysepopplewell]

Gillian Triggs says that the Northern Territory Juvenile Detention Centre abuse, as exposed on Four Corners last night, is a reflection of our detention culture. Read it here.

[elysepopplewell]

"Malcolm Turnbull to bring in new laws allowing indefinite jail for high-risk terrorists"

Interesting for Crime: Sentencing and Punishment, interesting for human rights, interesting as a citizen. We currently have it for paedophiles, should we extend it to terrorists?

[elysepopplewell]

Last night, Four Corners revealed atrocities occurring in a Northern Territory Juvenile Detention Centre. Malcolm Turnbull has called a royal commission! Follow this up for your Young Offender Notes. The Four Corners documentary brings up a lot of legal issues! You can watch the episode online now.

"Legal action against NT government to be stepped up following Four Corners footage"
This is unravelling very quickly!

[elysepopplewell]

"Almost nine in 10 asylum seeker and refugee children at Nauru reportedly do not attend school and have been accused by local students of being "terrorists" and bomb-makers, leaving already vulnerable young people uneducated and badly disadvantaged." You can read more about this here, if you are using refugees as your contemporary human rights issue, this is a great article for you!

[elysepopplewell]

For those studying World Order, this has the potential to become useful for you all. Although it hasn't escalated to a potential point of legal relevance yet, it definitely has the capacity to. Read about the Rudd/Turnbull/UN debacle here!

[elysepopplewell]

Human Rights: If refugees are your contemporary issue, I hope you are following the PNG court findings on Manus.

"Papua New Guinea's Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered Australia to present a resettlement plan for nearly 900 asylum seekers held in what it says is an illegal detention centre on Manus island – a move detainees fear will further delay their release.

The Supreme Court ruled more than three months ago that the detention centre, used to house asylum seekers trying to reach Australia, was illegal. The centre was approved by the Papua New Guinea government and is funded by Australia."

Full article here: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/png-court-orders-australia-to-find-resettlement-plan-for-900-asylum-seekers-20160802-gqjjo3.html

[elysepopplewell]

This is huge.
"Wilson Security, contracted to protect asylum seekers on Manus and Nauru, did not tell an Australian Senate inquiry about at least 16 serious allegations"
Article for that here.

This shows some of the most compelling incidents in their paper form: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/gallery/2016/aug/10/twelve-of-the-most-harrowing-accounts-from-the-nauru-files-in-pictures

Nauru guard admits to throwing a rock at a 5 year old, and injuring the child: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/nauru-guard-admits-throwing-rocks-at-young-children-allegedly-injuring-fiveyearold-child-20160810-gqp1am.html

So appalling

[elysepopplewell]

The Racial Discrimination Act's discussion in recent years has sparked a lot of resources on the role of law reform, the law makers, politics and law, and of course, human rights.

Here is the latest article, explaining Tony Abbott's reflection on his party's approach to the reform of Section 18C, potentially reopening the debate: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/tony-abbott-reopens-racial-discrimination-debate-and-laments-hyperpartisan-politics-20160812-gqr91f.html

[elysepopplewell]

Labor is pushing for a Senate Inquiry into the Nauru Files: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/labor-to-push-for-senate-inquiry-into-nauru-detention-centre-incident-report-leaks-20160813-gqs09e.html

[elysepopplewell]

Rudd and Abbott were told the PNG Detention Plan was UNCONSTITUTIONAL in 2013: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/rudd-and-abbott-were-warned-png-detention-plan-was-unconstitutional-in-2013-20160815-gqsjae.html

[elysepopplewell]

This is an extremely interesting proposal. The Royal Commission into Sex Abuse that has investigated Churches particularly, is now considering extending the inquiry into Detention centres after the horrors of Don Dale and Nauru have been revealed. Previously, the commission has said that investigating in Nauru is outside of its jurisdictional powers. Interesting...
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/sex-abuse-royal-commission-considering-public-hearing-into-detention-centres-after-nauru-leak-20160815-gqsv9e.html

[elysepopplewell]

The best coverage of Nauru and the Detention centre is coming from Guardian Australia at the moment.

Senate Inquiry likely as cross benchers show their support: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/aug/15/senate-inquiry-into-nauru-child-abuse-allegations-likely-after-crossbenchers-indicate-support