By the end of the month, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus should have in his hands the report of the special parliament committee which has inquired into Australia’s human rights framework for the past year. As that happens, rights related to forensic quality and how genetic testing can be used against us are coming to the fore. The Defence Department is trying for the second time in a decade to restrict and control the communication rights of research scientists. And, in a fascinating twist, the High Court will soon be asked to consider whether missing parts turn a body into something else, legally.
Other items in March include:
- NT tries to tackle youth justice in new ways
- On remand prisoners hit record high
- High-flying Ombudsman racks up the bills
- Ministerial caring drops in juvenile, female and male prisons as heat rises
- Allegedly ‘talented’ judges are a bit slow when it comes to workload
- Asking the wrong question about Indigenous prison rates
- Old lags seek help from the law
- Kiwis first CCRC decision handed down
- Honk if you’re in the right
- Judges run a skimming scam