The Conversation: Can a 10-year-old be responsible for a crime?
The age a child can be arrested, charged and jailed in Australia is back in the spotlight.
Last year, the Northern Territory became the first jurisdiction to raise the age of criminal responsibility from ten to 12. Now its new, tough-on-crime government has pledged to return it to ten. It comes after Victoria walked back its earlier commitment to raise the age to 14, settling instead on 12.
But the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child says 14 should be the absolute minimum. It raised this age from its earlier recommendation (in 2007) of 12, citing a decade of new research into child and adolescent development.
So what does the science say? What happens to the brain between ten and 14? And how much can those under 14 understand the consequences of their actions?
Read the article here. Authors Susan M. Sawyer & Nandi Vijayakumar.
We are hiring! NSWCCL Executive Officer
NSWCCL is seeking a passionate and self motivated Executive Officer to provide operational leadership and enhance our advocacy capabilities. The Executive Officer plays a crucial role in mobilising our members, leading campaigns, and ensuring the effective day-to-day operations of the organisation.
Guided by a management committee and supported by volunteers, the role is responsible for developing and implementing communication strategies, including engaging with and managing the media, organising and managing events and fundraising appeals to grow our membership and support from the wider community.
Read moreAnnouncing our Inagural President's Award Winner, Antointette Lattouf
Read moreI am humbled to accept the inaugural NSW Council for Civil Liberties President's Award.
It’s an honour to be acknowledged for my battle to uphold journalism without fear or favour, it’s been a very difficult year given the bullying and silencing of journalists in Australia.
I dedicate this award to the journalists who have been murdered doing their jobs. Journalism is not a crime. Systematically killing journalists is.
Gaza is the deadliest place to be a journalist. The past 10 months have been the deadliest period to be a journalist. This award is for the Palestinian journalists who no longer have breath, let alone a voice.
Crikey: Is Labor treating the CFMEU as it did Qantas or PwC?
Some might argue that calling for corporations to face the same scrutiny as the CFMEU is mere “whataboutism,” defending alleged union corruption. This topic arises follows claims of corruption and intimidation, as reported by Nine journalists. The union has been placed under administration for three years, and many officials have been dismissed due to legislation passed with Coalition support, though legal challenges may follow.
Some argue that this situation highlights a double standard. For example, why didn't the government threaten similar action against PwC when it was revealed that they leaked confidential tax information for profit?
RMIT Professor Anthony Forsyth acknowledges this double standard in the treatment of corporations versus unions but insists that the legislation was necessary due to the CFMEU's likely resistance to a court-appointed administrator. Meanwhile, Lydia Shelly from the NSW Council for Civil Liberties criticises the inconsistency in addressing corporate wrongdoing.
Read moreMedia Statement: Serious concerns with the Federal Government’s Registered Organisations Amendment Bill
The NSW Council for Civil Liberties has serious concerns with the Federal Government’s Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment (Administration) Bill 2024 and the Government’s accompanying amendments. While any allegation of criminality is serious and must be addressed, the powers set out in this bill are far-reaching and establish a dangerous precedent for the trade union movement, membership-based organisations, and the rights of individuals to natural justice and procedural fairness.
Read moreSubmission: Inquiry into alcohol consumption in public places (liberalisation) bill 2024
The growing list of Alcohol Free Zones (AFZs) in Sydney has been a creeping imposition on the freedom of the community to use public space without any evidence that it achieves other positive public policy objectives.
Most parks around the CBD, Kings Cross and Redfern have been designated AFZs, as well as Martin Place, sections of The Rocks and Circular Quay. AFZs cover much of Darlinghurst, Surry Hills, Redfern, Waterloo, parts of Glebe and Newtown, main city roads, and roads around the casino. The City of Sydney has an extensive and effective Street Safety Camera program in which most public places are already monitored.
Read moreSubmission: Criminal Code Amendment (Deepfake Sexual Material) Bill 2024
The NSW Council of Civil Liberties and Scarlet Alliance, Australian Sex Workers Association submits that the Criminal Code Amendment (Deepfake Sexual Material) Bill 2024 fails to enhance the civil rights of the Australian public. Generative AI is an increasingly fast moving and adaptive technology. Any response to address the harm that can be caused through the abuse of this technology must be built on a holistic government approach, and not simply through increased criminal measures. Even where new criminal measures are enacted these must add to, and not cut across or confuse, the existing protection and legislative frameworks which already exist at federal, state and territory levels.
Read moreMedia Release: NSW Government unacceptable delay in equality bills
Alex Greenwich MP’s equality bills that would reduce faith-based discrimination in schools, remove the current requirement for a person to have a surgical procedure to update the sex on their birth certificate, and give courts the power to issue a parentage order for children born out of commercial surrogacy outside of NSW has been delayed yet again.
This morning the Legislative Assembly passed a Bill extension motion moved by Sydney MP Alex Greenwich to prevent this important legislation from lapsing. We understand that the Bills will now not be considered until October. We call on the Premier to explain this unreasonable delay which in practice means that these important reforms are still not in place to recognise and protect the LGBTIQA+ community.
Read moreMedia Statement: NSW needs action on drug law reform now!
Today former President of the NSW Council for Civil Liberties and former NSW Director of Public Prosecutions, Nicholas Cowdery AO KC, appeared before the inquiry into the impact of the regulatory frameworks for cannabis in NSW.
The NSW Council for Civil Liberties has long called for decriminalisation coupled with regulation of cannabis across Australia. We believe that the criminal law is ill-suited to deal with drug use in the community.
Read moreABCListen: Most of us trust the police, but courts not so much
Listen to Nicholas Cowdery, former NSW Director of Public Prosecutions and long time Committee member of NSWCCL on ABC's RN Drive: Most of us trust the police, but courts not so much.