Centre for Law and Social Justice
Upcoming Events
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News
News • 6 Mar 2024
ARC Fellowship to Advance Human Rights Research
$1.14m awarded to develop a national human rights index
News • 1 Mar 2024
The policing of LGBTQI+ people casts a long, dark shadow. Marching at Mardi Gras must be backed up with real change
Public trust and confidence in NSW Police has been sorely tested in the past two weeks. The charging of a police officer with the murders of a Sydney gay couple, Jesse Baird and Luke Davies, has seen shock turn to grief and then anger.
News • 28 Feb 2024
A lot of Hurt and Anger: How the Queer Community Feels Let Down by NSW Police
Despite a 26-year tradition of officers marching at Mardi Gras, the Paddington alleged murders have brought growing discontent with the force to a head
News • 27 Feb 2024
Bodies found in NSW Investigation
There's been a breakthrough in the investigation of the alleged murders of Sydney couple Luke Davies and Jesse Baird. Police have recovered two bodies from a property in rural New South Wales. Meanwhile, debate continues over whether NSW Police should be allowed to march in Mardi Gras.
News • 24 Feb 2024
It's here, it's Queer: Sydney's landmark new LGBTQIA+ history museum is now open
Qtopia Sydney has transformed a former police station in Darlinghurst for the world’s largest centre for Queer history and culture.
News • 7 Feb 2024
How International Recognition of Cultural Practices could be a new way to Protect Refugees
More than 6.6 million refugees live in camps located largely in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. In these camp communities, unique cultural practices can arise. In our new research, we found the oral histories and healing practices of the Bhutanese refugees in Nepal changed over the decades they spent in camps.
News • 2 Jan 2024
Child Protection: Repairing a Badly Broken System
Progressive changes to the child protection system are taking place, driven in the Hunter by parents andleading academics.
News • 14 Nov 2023
Shining a light on injustice: how an inquiry fought for LGBTIQ recognition
The New South Wales Special Commission of Inquiry into LGBTIQ hate crimes has held its final public sitting in Sydney today.
News • 2 Nov 2023
Centre for Law and Social Justice hosts visiting scholar Professor Liz Campbell
On 2 November, several staff of the School of Law and Justice had the opportunity to engage with Liz Campbell, visiting Professor of Criminal Jurisprudence from the Faculty of Law at Monash University.
News • 20 Oct 2023
Israel War: Are war crimes being committed?
Associate Professor Amy Maguire was interviewed on The West Live on Friday 20 October 2023.
News • 20 Oct 2023
Gaza civilians struggle as humanitarian aid trickles in
Palestinian civilians are in desperate need of food, water and medical aid - but the United Nations says the truck convoys that have crossed the border have only brought in about 3 per cent of what's needed.
News • 20 Oct 2023
Can Israel and Hamas be held to account for alleged crimes against civillians?
International humanitarian law – the law of armed conflict – aims to constrain how wars are fought. It is designed to protect noncombatants and limit the means of warfare. As each hour brings news of further horror in the Israel-Hamas conflict, what role should international law be playing? And does it actually have any capacity to constrain the behaviour of the combatants?
Past Events & Recordings
The Right to Education in Australia
On 22 February 2024, The Centre for Law and Social Justice in collaboration with the Human Rights Law Centre launched the 'Right to Education in Australia' report. The launch discusses the right to education, who is missing out on that right in the Australian context, and the difference a Human Rights Charter would make.
Human Rights & Climate Change
On Tuesday 8 August 2023, the Centre for Law and Social Justice hosted an online webinar with Dr Ian Fry, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change.
The Uluru Statement from the Heart: Information Session
On 15 May 2023, The Centre for Law and Social Justice hosted an information session on the Uluru Statement from the Heart. The session explored the background and context to Constitutional recognition, the Uluru Statement from the Heart, and the Voice to Parliament. The session was led by Kishaya Delaney, a proud Wiradjuri woman.
The Human Rights of Young People
On 4 May 2023, the Centre for Law and Social Justice in collaboration with the Human Rights Law Centre hosted an online webinar exploring the challenges that young people face realising their human rights.
Compensation Owed to Victims of Alleged Australian War Crimes
On 28 April 2023, The Centre for Law and Social Justice hosted an online webinar exploring the reality of the legal, practical, and logistical issues in constructing state compensation schemes for war crimes. The webinar explored; legal problem solving, victim advocacy, and the tension between international and domestic law.
Wrongful Conviction & the Structural Analysis of Innocence Cases
On March 27 2023, The Centre for Law and Social Justice supported a seminar delivered by Dr. Makoto Ibusuki, Professor of Criminal Procedure Law at Seijo University, Tokyo. The seminar provided a comparative analysis of wrongful convictions and the structural analysis of innocence cases, using Japanese case examples.
Empowering Communities in a Context of Regulatory Capitalism and Capture
On 28 March 2023, The Centre for Law and Social Justice supported a seminar exploring the practical concepts and application of a multidisciplinary regulatory capture test synthesised by Dr Tony Brown. The test provides communities and others with a better ‘real world’ appreciation of the symptoms and impact of the systemic and intensifying infiltration of private commercial interests into the alleged impartial, transparent and objective government-based legal framework, the determinative processes and supporting narrative.
Medicare in Prisons: Lobbying for reforms in custodial healthcare
On 5 December 2022, the Centre for Law and Social Justice supported a round-table event discussing the need for Medicare in prisons. Most people are surprised to hear that incarcerated people lack access to Medicare, Australia’s ‘universal’ health care system. The lack of Medicare access causes many issues not only for people in prison themselves, but also for the general community.
The International Criminal Court in Ukraine and Georgia
On 29 November 2022, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Aloka Wanigasuriya reflected on the findings of their PhD thesis titled ‘The Impact Conundrum: The International Criminal Court and the Impact of its Interventions in Georgia and Ukraine’, which was successfully defended in May 2022. The webinar focused on the ICC’s continued impact in the two countries and how these two situations may have an impact on the Court and the larger international criminal justice project.
The Russia-Ukraine War: Contemporary Developments and Challenges
On 17 October 2022, a panel of experts explored issues connected to the armed conflict including the recent case initiated by Ukraine at the International Court of Justice (ICJ): Allegations of Genocide under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Ukraine v. Russian Federation) and accountability efforts for the alleged international crimes committed during the Russia-Ukraine war from an International Criminal Law and Ukrainian perspective.
World Day Against the Death Penalty
Who Is Missing out on The Right To Health?
On the 27 September 2022, in collaboration with the Human Rights Law Centre, a panel of experts discussed the right to health. Learn more about how a Charter of Human Rights can make a difference.
Michael Kirby Public Lecture: Russia, Ukraine and the Peoples' Right of Self Determination.
On the 5th of May 2022, The Honourable Michael Kirby hosted a public lecture at Newcastle Law School titled, 'Russia, Ukraine and the Peoples' Right of Self Determination.' The thought provoking speech had three central thematic areas.
International Human Rights Law - Lessons in the Era of COVID-19
On the 23rd of May 2022, a panel of international human rights experts explored rights of vulnerable individuals and communities who have experienced disproportionate impacts from both the pandemic itself and measures that constrain the exercise of human rights.
Legal Practice for First Nations Rights
On the 12th of May 2022, a panel of legal experts discussed the diversity of legal practice for First Nations Rights exploring themes such as intellectual property, Native Title, criminal and civil law and public interest advocacy.
The Djokovic Visa Controversy, Human Rights and Australian Law
On the 1st of March 2022, an eminent panel of legal experts explored the legal controversies emerging from the cancellation of Novak Djokovic’s Australian visa. Learn more about the ‘godlike’ powers of the Immigration minister, Australia’s immigration and border policies, expedited access to courts and the relationship between sport and human rights in Australia.
The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal, Darkinjung, Biripai, Worimi, Wonnarua, and Eora Nations. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present.