ANU Law Reform and Social Justice

On May 15 - Nakba Day 2024 - Join the co-hosted LRSJ event and hear from one of Palestine’s foremost environmental justice experts Professor Mazin Qumsiyeh, visiting Australia for the first time, in conversation with local Palestinian, First Nations and environmental justice advocates.

For over 75 years, Palestinians have resisted occupation, dispossession, and ethnic cleansing. The environmental impacts of the occupation and destruction of Palestine are less understood: water sources have been restricted, destroyed and polluted; habitat loss is pushing species like wolves, gazelles, and hyenas to the brink; destruction of crops and farmland drives food insecurity; and climate change is already impacting Palestine and its people.

The event will take place on Wed 15 May from 17:30-19:30 in Kambri Cinema. See the link to register.

Land Rights, Environmental Justice, and Palestine: In Conversation with Professor Mazin Qumsiyeh | ANU College of Law On May 15 - Nakba Day 2024 - Join the co-hosted LRSJ event and hear from one of Palestine’s foremost environmental justice experts Professor Mazin Qumsiyeh, visiting Australia for the first time, in conversation with local Palestinian, First Nations and environmental justice advocates.For over 75 ...

Are you interested in writing on contemporary legal and policy issues related to protest and political rights in Australia?

We are working to launch a research blog on protest and political rights in Australia from a legal perspective, publishing student research and commentary on issues including:

- Encroachment on the right to protest
- Police conduct with respect to protest and other political action
- Recent and current topical case law
- Recent topical legislative changes
- Proposals for law reform on how political rights can be protected.

The project is being led by Ben Yates with the support of Matthew Zagor.

We are looking for law students (LLB, JD, Masters, PhD) who are interested in writing short articles (600-1500 words) for the blog. This is a great opportunity to get a research publication in your name!

We have a number of specific topics that we are looking for students to write on but you can equally pitch topics you are interested in that are related to the theme of the blog.

Expressions of interest are welcomed from any law student, regardless of what stage of your degree you are at.

If you are interested in writing for the blog and want to find out more, please email [email protected]

The South Asian Research and Advocacy Hub (SARAH) is an LRSJ Hub focusing on issues related to South Asian Diasporas.

Come along to their picnic this Thursday to celebrate their 1 year anniversary since launching. Since SARAH’s establishment, they’ve worked on numerous socio-legal research projects, including presenting research at ANU’s 2023 Citizenship Symposium and the ACT’s Inquiry into the Shortage of Midwives and Nurses.

Come along to learn more about their work!

Join the ANU Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies for a virtual panel discussion on the South Africa ICJ Genocide Case Against Israel. The discussion will focus on npacking the legal implications and future compliance.

To find out more and register follow the link:

Virtual Panel Discussion | The South Africa ICJ Genocide Case Against Israel: Unpacking the Legal Implications and Future Compliance | Humanitix Get tickets on Humanitix - Virtual Panel Discussion | The South Africa ICJ Genocide Case Against Israel: Unpacking the Legal Implications and Future Compliance hosted by ANU Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies. Online. Thursday 7th March 2024. Find event information.

On 21 Feb at 5:30 pm, LRSJ will host the launch of the Reimagining Migrant and Refugee Justice project and the special issue of the Refugee Survey Quarterly dedicated to recentering the refugee voice in decision-making.

Join us at the ANU College of Law to hear from a panel of experts with lived experience of migration and refugeehood about how we might reimagine and disrupt the dominant modes of tribunal and judicial decision-making to achieve a fairer, more just and humane legal regime.

There will also be an opportunity to chat with the participants and contributors over refreshments before and after the main event.

Whether you are new to the LRSJ or part of the broader social justice community, please join us for what promises to be a fascinating and stimulating discussion!

Reimagining Migrant and Refugee Justice - Launch and Panel Discussion | Humanitix Get tickets on Humanitix - Reimagining Migrant and Refugee Justice - Launch and Panel Discussion hosted by ANU College of Law. Moot Court, 6 Fellows Rd, Acton ACT 2601, Australia. Wednesday 21st February 2024. Find event information.

TOMORROW: Israel's Constitutional Crisis - a discussion with Rabbi Elhanan Miller and Professor Kim Rubenstein

After months of extraordinary protests by tens of thousands across Israel, the country’s High Court will come head-to-head with the Government over several critical legislative hearings this September. The LRSJ is pleased to host Jerusalem-based educator, writer and rights advocate Rabbi Elhanan Miller, to discuss how Israeli civil society will face this latest showdown and what are the longer-term implications for all Israelis and Palestinians.

When? Tuesday September 26, 6pm - 7:30pm
Where? ANU RSSS Auditorium

Find out more and register here:

Israel’s constitutional crisis – a turning point for the region’s future? – ANU Law Reform & Social Justice Israel’s constitutional crisis – a turning point for the region’s future? Israel’s constitutional crisis – a turning point for the region’s future? 102 102 people viewed this event. After months of extraordinary protests by tens of thousands across Israel, the country’s High Court will...

Our internships showcase is tonight - don't forget to register to attend! If you are interested in undertaking a social justice-focussed internship as part of your degree, this event will equip you with the tools and knowledge to do so. Register via the link below.

ANU social justice internships showcase 2023 ANU LRSJ presents a social justice internships showcase where students share skills and experience acquired through internships.

Are you interested in an overseas course offering an unparalleled opportunity to learn about the rule of law, human rights, and international law in a hands-on environment? Applications are currently open for the Law and Development Clinic LAWS4301. Over summer session, students will have the opportunity to travel to Cambodia to work with human rights NGOs for four weeks on developing the rule of law in a post-conflict setting. This is a highly-coveted course, and students who are accepted may have the opportunity to access New Colombo Plan travel grant support to enable their attendance.

Applications close on September 17. Find out more information and apply through CareersHub here: https://careerhub.anu.edu.au/students/jobs/detail/306966

Have you registered for our Social Justice Internships Showcase yet? If you are a student interested in undertaking work at a justice-oriented organisation through your degree, come along to learn about past and future internship opportunities and how to get involved. September 18, from 5:30 - 6:30, in the Philippa Weeks Staff Library at the ANU College of Law. Register though the link below.

ANU social justice internships showcase 2023 ANU LRSJ presents a social justice internships showcase where students share skills and experience acquired through internships.

BUSINESS, CIVICS AND HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS - MONDAY 21 AUG, 12.30PM, COLLEGE OF LAW

LRSJ students interested in the intersections of human rights and business are encouraged to attend the talk tomorrow (Monday!) with Bennett Freeman at 12:30pm in the Philippa Weeks Staff Library, and to stick around to chat with Bennett about careers at the cutting edge of human rights advocacy.

https://lrsj.anu.edu.au/event/bennett-freeman-business-civic-freedoms-and-human-rights-defenders/

Don't forget to register for our forthcoming event with Bennett Freeman on Monday, 21 August at 12:30pm in the Philippa Weeks Staff Library. All students will have the opportunity to stick around after the event for a casual, informative chat with Bennett on carving out a career in the intersections of business and human rights, drawing from lessons from his own life. Register via the link attached below.

Join Bennett Freeman (Chathman House) as draws upon his extensive work to engage business in support of civic freedoms and human rights defenders around the world.

📅 Monday 21 August
🕛 12:30-1:30pm AEST

Register now 👇
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/business-civic-freedoms-and-human-rights-defenders-tickets-691498218787

The ANU College of Law is delighted to host Bennett Freeman, Associate Fellow in the International Law Programme at Chatham House and expert in Business and Human Rights, for a unique discussion on the intersecting and converging agendas of the corporate world, and defenders of civic freedoms and human rights.

Join us on Monday, August 21, at 12:30pm in the Phillipa Weeks Staff Library at the ANU College of Law for this conversation. Register here to secure your place: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/business-civic-freedoms-and-human-rights-defenders-tickets-691498218787

Alongside his role at Chatham House, Bennett Freeman advises multinational corporations, foundations and NGOs on policy and strategy related to human rights. He is a co-founder of the B4Ukraine coalition, pressing western companies to exit Russia, he co-founded and led the diplomatic efforts of the Cotton Campaign to end massive state-imposed forced labor in Uzbekistan. He served as Senior VP for Sustainability Research and Policy at Calvert Investments from 2006-15 and as U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor from 1999-2001 as a Clinton presidential appointee.

Expression of Interest for Human Rights Project Leader The Human Rights Project is part of the ANU Law Reform & Social Justice group. The main objective of the Project is to continue working on our case summary database on our website where we record case summaries for all of the cases in the ACT that reference the Human Rights Act 2004 (ACT). We also r...

Last call for volunteers!

Don't forget to express interest by COB tomorrow, July 26, to get involved with our community legal education project on the Voice Referendum.

Email your EOIs to [email protected]

📢 Calling for Volunteers: Voice to Parliament Referendum!
Join the LRSJ’s Community Legal Education Project for the Voice Referendum.
The Law Reform and Social Justice Program at the ANU College of Law is seeking dedicated volunteers for a project on community legal education around the forthcoming Voice referendum. If you're interested, please email a brief statement (~150 words) as to why you want to work on the project, the rough time (weekly hours) you may be able to dedicate to it, and whether you are interested in volunteering in a leadership or team member capacity, to [email protected] by July 24. Our leadership team will then be in contact with more information. This is a rare and exciting opportunity to work on community education on a referendum - we look forward to hearing from you soon.

Last week, three ANU students from the South Asian Legal Research and Advocacy Hub (SARAH) appeared before the ACT Standing Committee on Health and Community Wellbeing to give oral evidence on the ACT Inquiry into the Recovery Plan for Nursing and Midwifery Workers.

Rojan Joshi, Alex Titus and Sashini Liyanage called on the ACT government to redefine its skilled migration sponsorship program to prioritise human well-being.

📺 Watch a recording of the standing committee: https://anulaw.info/42Oe4zX

📖 Read our article about SARAH: https://anulaw.info/3M2SyRF

VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITY: CANBERRA COMMUNITY LAW FIRST NATIONS HISTORY AND TRUTH TELLING

Canberra Community Law is interested in making a public interactive timeline webpage detailing the history of legislation that has impacted First Nations people in Australia, for the purposes of truth telling.

They are interested in recruiting ANU Law student volunteers to undertake a number of tasks relating to data refining and web design for the final webpage. These would include:
• Refining collected data to identify key themes of the laws enacted; prepare the data to be inserted into the timeline grouping the laws and preparing summarised and readable descriptions of each law.
• Create a webpage (which can be hosted on CCL’s main website) that has an interactive timeline with the relevant dates, headings, descriptions, and links to primary sources included; and has each data point tagged with key themes that users can filter the timeline with.

If you are interested in supporting this project, and/or have any experience in computing or web design, please reach out at [email protected].

Last night, the ANU Law Reform and Social Justice program and Amnesty International hosted a topical and thought-provoking lecture delivered by Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM, President of the Human Rights Commission.

President Croucher shared the Commission's vision for a federal Human Rights Act model, and a call to action for the forthcoming federal Inquiry into Australia's Human Rights Framework as an opportunity for change.

The aims of the proposed Human Rights Act model are to enhance transparency and accountability in government decision-making. During its launch, Professor Croucher highlighted the significance of having a Human Rights Act in Australia, stating that it is the "central missing piece of government accountability."

Thank you to all involved in organising the event, and to all those who attended!

A group of undergraduate students at ANU are making significant strides advocating for South Asian communities in Australia.

The South Asian Legal Research and Advocacy Hub (SARAH) is an undergraduate research group run by South Asian students as part of the ANU Law Reform and Social Justice (LRSJ) program.

SARAH works closely with the ANU College of Law and collaborates with academics, NGOs, and communities to develop theory and research that is beneficial for the South Asian diaspora.

Despite only forming last year, SARAH has already made important progress in pursuit of this goal.

Our Q&A: https://anulaw.info/3M2SyRF

It's Law Week! Check out some of the events on offer at the ACT Law Courts tomorrow, and head to www.justice.act.gov.au for more information on how to take part.

Join us on Wednesday 24 May (5.30-7) for an engaging lecture by Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM, the President of the Human Rights Commission. Register here: https://law.anu.edu.au/event/seminar/australian-human-rights-commission%E2%80%99s-model-human-rights-act

Don't forget to register for the LRSJ and ANU Film Group's upcoming screening of Professor Larissa Behrendt's recent film, You Can Go Now, with special introduction with the director. Join us at 7:30pm on Wednesday, April 19, in the Kambri Cinema for this free screening.

The film explores the life of Richard Bell - his art, his activism, and the indivisible connection between them. Looking back on 50 years of Aboriginal activism, and forward to its future, You Can Go Now links global and local movements to examine the role of art and agitation in shaping justice.

LRSJ and ANU Film Group present You Can Go Now Join ANU Law Reform and Social Justice and ANU Film Group in this special screening of You Can Go Now, a look at the life of Richard Bell.

Join ANU Law Reform and Social Justice and ANU Film Group in this special screening of You Can Go Now on Wednesday, April 19 at 7:30pm in the Kambri Cinema, with a special introduction from the film's director, Distinguished Professor Larissa Behrendt OA.

🌟 About the movie 🌟
A look at the life and provocative work and writings for First Nations artist, Richard Bell. It reveals the ‘two Richards’: the first a provocateur and enfante terrible of the art world who challenges its whiteness, and the second who spent his childhood living in a tin shed, learnt his politics on the streets of Redfern and is known in his own community as an activist.

Bell’s mischievous energy and button-pushing humour in his work provide a lens through which to consider the last 50 years of First Nations activism in Australia and its links to global protest movements.

LRSJ and ANU Film Group present You Can Go Now Join ANU Law Reform and Social Justice and ANU Film Group in this special screening of You Can Go Now, a look at the life of Richard Bell.