We said we'd finish blogging on 18 December, so I figure I can sneak this post in before our recess! (Though Feedburner will email it to many of you tomorrow on 19 December.)Catching up on my RSS feeds today I came across a Victorian Government feed-link to the Victorian Government Solicitor's Office Human Rights Portal.I …
Tag: human rights
Legislation Watch: Mental Health List
Last Tuesday the Magistrates' Court Amendment (Mental Health List) Bill 2009 was introduced into the Victorian Parliament. The Bill proposes to amend the Magistrates' Court Act 1989 and set up a Mental Health List within the Magistrates' Court of Victoria as a three-year pilot project. Approximately three hundred candidates will undergo rehabilitation and treatment under …
Improper questions
At the Chancellor's Lecture last week, former Court of Appeal judge Charles Stephen QC made reference to improper questioning in cross-examination. He made specific mention of Heydon J's comments in Libke v R (2007) 230 CLR 559. I read the case for the first time this week.The Evidence Act 1958 has allowed a broad discretion …
Human Rights and the European Convention
Together with a few hundred others I struggled through the oppressive heat on Tuesday evening to attend Parkville for the eighth annual Chancellor's Human Rights Lecture.As it turns out, I shouldn't have bothered. Not that Stephen Charles QC didn't read a thought-provoking paper; he did, although the time constraints and breadth of what he wanted …
The Law Report on coercive powers
Dr Manhattan posted 2 weeks ago about investigative powers v human rights.ABC National's The Law Report is this week discussing the same case, and coercive questioning by police. Apparently that very issue is about to be decided by the European Court of Human Rights.You might remember academics Mirko Bagaric and Julie Clarke (who has not …