Law reform submissions 2021

Legal Aid’s advocacy work doesn’t stop when we leave the court room. We work hard to identify how the legal system is working for our clients, and where it needs to be better. We meet with, and write to, government and parliament, to make sure they know about the issues that impact our clients. You can see our 2021 submissions below.

General

• Open justice review Court and tribunal information: access, disclosure and publication – Legal Aid NSW submission to the NSW Law Reform Commission Draft Proposals, August 2021
• Open justice review Court and tribunal information: access, disclosure and publication – Legal Aid NSW submission to the NSW Law Reform Commission Consultation Paper 22, March 2021
• NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into Coercive Control – Legal Aid NSW submission to the Joint Select Committee, February 2021
• Migration and Citizenship Legislation Amendment (Strengthening Information Provisions) Bill 2020 – Legal Aid NSW submission to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, February 2021

Criminal Law

• Children’s criminal records and spent convictions – Legal Aid NSW submission to the NSW Attorney General, September 2021
• Additional proposed jury reforms – Legal Aid NSW submission to the Department of Communities and Justice, September 2021
• Review of sentencing practices for historical offences – Legal Aid NSW submission to the NSW Department of Communities and Justice, July 2021
• Jury reforms (statutory review of the majority verdicts amendments, and consultation on improving the operation and management of juries) – Legal Aid NSW submission to the Department of Communities and Justice, May 2021
• Exposure draft of the Crimes Legislation (Offences Against Pregnant Women) Bill 2020 – Legal Aid NSW submission to the NSW Department of Communities and Justice, February 2021

Civil Law

• Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet’s consultation on modernising document execution – Legal Aid NSW submission to the Department of Communities and Justice, October 2021
• Inquiry into the coronial jurisdiction in NSW – Legal Aid NSW submission to the Legislative Council Select Committee on the Coronial Jurisdiction in NSW, September 2021
• Inquiry into the coronial jurisdiction in NSW (Coroners Court report appendix) – Legal Aid NSW submission to the Legislative Council Select Committee on the Coronial Jurisdiction in NSW, September 2021
• Persons with Disability (Regulation of Restrictive Practices) Bill 2021 – Legal Aid NSW submission to the Department of Communities and Justice, July 2021
• Review of the Residential (Land Lease) Communities Act 2013 – Legal Aid NSW submission to the Department of Customer Service, July 2021
• Inquiry into the Migration Amendment (Strengthening the Character Test) Bill 2021 (Cth) – Legal Aid NSW submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, December 2021
• Proposed Operational Guidance documents regarding para 176 General Insurance Code of Practice – Legal Aid NSW submission to the General Insurance Code Governance Committee, November 2021
• Inquiry into the performance and integrity of Australia's administrative review system – Legal Aid NSW submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Reference Committee, November 2021
• Review of Children’s Guardian accreditation and monitoring functions – Legal Aid NSW submission to the Office of the Children’s Guardian, December 2021
• Inquiry into road tolling regimes – Legal Aid NSW submission to the NSW Legislative Council Portfolio Committee No. 6 – Transport and Customer Service, October 2021
• Changes to NSW Trustee and Guardian’s fees – Legal Aid NSW submission to NSW Trustee and Guardian, October 2021
• Legal Aid NSW submission for the draft Life Insurance Code of Practice – October 2021
• Exposure Draft – National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Participant Service Guarantee and Other Measures) Bill 2021 – National Legal Aid submission to the Department of Social Services, October 2021
• Legal Aid NSW letter to Treasury _y Laws Amendment (Measures for a later sitting) Bill 2021 Unfair Contract Terms – Submission to the Treasury Laws Amendment (Measures for a later sitting) Bill 2021: Unfair Contract Terms
• Consumer vulnerability: Expectations for the telecomunications industry – Draft for consultation – Legal Aid NSW submission to the Australian Communications and Media Authority, August 2021
• Legal Aid NSW submission to the review of the Banking Code of Practice - August 2021
• National Register of Enduring Powers of Attorney – Public Consultation Paper – National Legal Aid submission to the Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department, August 2021
• Treasury Compensation Scheme of Last Resort: Proposal Paper – Financial Services Royal Commission recommendation 7.1 – Legal Aid NSW submission to The Treasury, August 2021
• Inquiry into the purpose, intent and adequacy of the Disability Support Pension – Legal Aid NSW submission to the Senate Community Affairs References Committee, July 2021
• ASIC Consultation Paper 341 – Review of the ePayments Code: Further consultation – Legal Aid NSW submission to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, June 2021
• Inquiry into road tolling regimes in NSW – Legal Aid NSW submission to the NSW Legislative Council Portfolio Committee No.6 – Transport and customer service, June 2021
• Draft Children’s Guardian Regulation 2021 – Legal Aid NSW submission to the Office of the Children’s Guardian, May 2021
• Inquiry into the efficacy, fairness, timeliness and costs of the processing and granting of visa classes which provide for or allow for family and partner reunions – Legal Aid NSW submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee, April 2021
• ASIC Consultation Paper 339 – Implementing the Royal Commission recommendations: The Deferred sales model for add on insurance – Legal Aid NSW submission to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, April 2021
• Treasury review of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority – Legal Aid NSW submission to The Treasury, April 2021
• Statutory review of the Motor Dealers and Repairers Act 2013 – Legal Aid NSW submission to the Department of Customer Service, August 2020
• Consultation on the English language requirement and the new sponsorship framework for the Partner visa program – Legal Aid NSW submission to the Department of Home Affairs, March 2021.
• Persons with Disability (Regulation of Restrictive Practices) Bill 2021 – Legal Aid NSW submission to the NSW Department of Communities and Justice, February 2021
• NDIS Consultation Paper: Planning Policy for Personalised Budgets and Plan Flexibility – National Legal Aid submission to the National Disability Insurance Scheme, February 2021
• NDIS Consultation Paper: Access and Eligibility Policy with independent assessments – National Legal Aid submission to the National Disability Insurance Scheme, February 2021
• Fair Work Amendment (Supporting Australia's Jobs and Economic Recovery) Bill 2020 – Legal Aid NSW submission to Senate Education and Employment Committee, February 2021
• Response to Homelessness – Legal Aid NSW submission to the Audit office of NSW, January 2021
• National Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Supporting Economic Recovery) Bill 2020 – Legal Aid NSW submission to the Senate Economics Legislation Committee, January 2021

Family Law

• Inquiry into the Family Law Amendment (Federal Family Violence Orders) Bill 2021 – Legal Aid NSW submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee, July 2021