Attorney General Dreyfus’ recent agenda … Busy bee … Consultations … Roundtables … Reviews .. Reforms … Legislation … The Voice … Appointments … Speeches … Polly Peck tallies the score
Justinian has counted 15 significant law and justice related announcements and initiatives from the AG’s HQ – between March 1 and April 5, 2023.
It’s a sharp contrast from the morphine induced reigns of Bookshelves Brandis, the Christian Porter and Madam Cash.
Here are Dreyfus’ policy initiatives in March and the period leading to Easter. They underline the issues of particular priority to the AG …
March 1. Consultation on justice reinvestment
Taking the initial steps to establish a National Justice Reinvestment Unit. Part of the national action on First Nations justice.
March 1. WorldPride Human Rights Conference
Speech to Sydney WorldPride conference … Advancing the cause of equality and LGBTQI+ rights.
March 2. Personal insolvency roundtable – bankruptcy reform
Identification of bankruptcy law reforms. Getting the Bankruptcy Act up too speed.
March 22. Review of Australia’s human rights framework
The Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights has been commissioned to review whether the framework introduce in 2010, and subsequently neglected by the Coalition, remains “fit for purpose”.
March 23. Introduction of the Constitutional Alteration Bill
Legislation relating to the question to be put at the referendum for the Voice.
The proposed new chapter for the constitution reads:
March 27. Review of Commonwealth secrecy provisions
Release of a consultation paper seeking to advance the government’s “press freedom agenda”.
Submissions close May 4, 2023 with a final report by June 30, 2023.
March 29. Reform of intelligence and criminal justice regimes
Implementation of the long-neglected Dennis Richardson recommendations, including:
The application of proper checks and balances to the authorisation of intrusive powers, giving greater clarity to agencies, with a commitment to increased transparency.
March 29. Appointments to the National Anti-Corruption Commission
A Commissioner, three deputy commissioners, the CEO and the Inspector:
Selections in accordance with the government’s “merit and transparency policy“. Bios included.
March 30. Constitution alteration – the Voice, second reading speech
March 31. New legal assistance pilot for sexual violence victims and survivors
Seeking input for the development of three pilot specialised and trauma-informed legal services.
March 31. Appointment of the Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Australia
Justice Debra Mortimer elevated to CJ of the Federal Court – the court’s first female chief justice.
The appointment followed extensive consultations with all state and territory AGs, the heads of federal courts and state and territory Supreme Courts, the Law Council and the Australian Bar Association.
The Institute of Public Advocacy and the Samuel Griffiths Society were not included in the consultation process.
April 3. Meeting of Police Ministers Council
Communiqué. Meeting to advance a National Firearms Register – prompted by the deaths of two police officers in Wieambilla, Queensland.
April 3. Design of the new federal administrative review body
Public input on the design and operation of the tribunal to replace the AAT.
Release of an issues paper developed in consultation with the expert advisory group, chaired by Patrick Keane.
April 3. Australian Child Maltreatment Study
The findings are “shocking”.
April 4. TikTok ban on government devices
A mandatory direction under the Protective Security Policy Framework to prohibit the TikTok app on devices issued by Commonwealth departments and agencies.
April 5. Appointments to the Open Government Forum
This is for the co-design of the third national action plan for Australia to retain membership of the multilateral Open Government Partnership – sorely neglected by the Coalition.
Then it was Easter.
At some point down the track we’ll step back and assess progress.