Women With Disabilities Access to the Criminal Justice System – Have Your Say!

Women With Disabilities WA Inc will be making a submission to the Human Rights Commission about Access to Justice in the Criminal Justice System for People With Disabilities. If you would like to have your experiences and thoughts on this important issue included in our submission, please contact us via email, Facebook message or phone by Tuesday 20 August.

We apologise for the short time frame, but this is an important issue for so many women with disabilities and it is important that we have our say. For more information please go to http://www.humanrights.gov.au/publications/access-justice-criminal-justice-system-people-disability-issues-paper-april-2013

The Australian Human Rights Commission is concerned that many people with disability who need communication supports or who have complex and multiple support needs are not having their rights protected, and are not being treated equally, in the criminal justice system. This is happening to children, young people and adults with disability. It is happening to people with disability who are victims of crime, accused of crimes, witnesses, defendants and offenders. It is happening in police stations, courts, prisons and juvenile institutions, and other corrective services across Australia.

Questions from discussion paper:

What are the biggest barriers for you or other people with disability in the criminal justice system?

What could be done to remove these barriers and help people with disability in the criminal justice system?

Can you provide information about support that has helped you or other people with disability to participate in the criminal justice system?

Please tell us about any time that you or another person with disability experienced barriers to justice.

Do you have any other thoughts, ideas or comments you would like to make about people with disability and the criminal justice system?

National Inquiry Announced: Reducing Legal Barriers For People With Disabilities

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus QC announced today that he is asking the Australian Law Reform Commission to inquire into how to reduce legal barriers to people with disabilities.

“I want to make sure that existing Commonwealth laws and legal frameworks do not create barriers to people with disability exercising their rights and legal capacity,” Mr Dreyfus said.

“Most of us take for granted the independent decisions we make about our lives. People with disability deserve the same opportunity.

“This inquiry is about maximising choice and autonomy for Australians with disability.”

Minister for Disability Reform Jenny Macklin said that people with disability are entitled to the dignity that comes from being able to make choices over their own lives.

“Ensuring that people with disability have access to the same rights and opportunities as Australians without disability is a hallmark of a just society,” Ms Macklin said.

“As we celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the Disability Discrimination Act, it is fitting that we consider whether our laws are adequately supporting people with disability.

“The announcement of this inquiry coincides with the upcoming launch of DisabilityCare Australia, the national disability insurance scheme, a significant reform that will transform the way people with disability are supported and put choice and control in the hands of people with disability.”

Consultation on draft terms of reference for ALRC inquiry into equal recognition before the law and legal capacity for people with disability

The consultation seeks stakeholder views on draft terms of reference for an Australian Law Reform Commission inquiry into equal recognition before the law and legal capacity for people with disability. The inquiry will consider:
• Commonwealth laws and legal frameworks that deny or diminish the rights of people with disa bility to make their own decisions, and
• act on their own behalf, and what, if any, changes could be made.

The Draft Terms of Reference can be downloaded in PDF or Word at:
http://www.ag.gov.au/Consultations/Pages/ConsultationondrafttermsofreferenceforALRCinquiryintoequalrecognitionbeforethelawandlegalcapacityforpeoplewithdisability.aspx

The Australian Government invites stakeholders to make submissions outlining their views on the draft Terms of Refer ence. If you would like to make a submission, send it:

by email to:
disabilityrights@ag.gov.au

by mail to:
Submission – legal capacity
Human Rights Policy Branch
International Law & Human Rights Division
3-5 National Circuit
Barton ACT 2600

Electronic submissions are preferred where possible.

The closing date for submissions is 28 June 2013.

If you cannot make a submission in either of the above ways and would like to express your views by another method, you can contact the Human Rights Policy Branch on 02 6141 6666 or disabilityrights@ag.gov.au