Inquiry update

As prefaced in last month’s newsletter, the ALRC is releasing a series of four Issues Papers covering the treatment of family violence in four key areas:

• employment and superannuation law
• child support and family assistance law
• immigration law, and
• social security law

These Issues Papers are intended to encourage informed community participation in the Inquiry by providing some background information and highlighting the issues so far identified by the ALRC as relevant to the Inquiry. They will be followed by the publication of a Discussion Paper in mid-2011, which will contain a more detailed treatment of the issues, and will indicate the ALRC’s current thinking in the form of specific proposals for reform. The ALRC will then seek further submissions and will undertake a further round of national consultations in relation to these proposals.

See media release >>

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1st Issues Paper: Family Violence—Employment and Superannuation Law

Closing date for submissions to this Issues Paper is 6 April 2011.

With respect to employment law, the Issues Paper considers issues relevant to the treatment of family violence at various stages of employment, from the job search process to remedies post-termination.

In considering the treatment of family violence in superannuation law, the Issues Paper examines a range of issues that arise where victims of family violence may have been coerced into taking action in respect of their own superannuation, or may wish to seek early access to their superannuation due to the consequences of family violence.

View Issues Paper >>

Make a submission >>

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Discuss: How can laws in the area of employment and superannuation be improved for victims of family violence?

• How can job search assistance provided through Job Services Australia be improved for victims of family violence?
• Should National Employment Standards, enterprise agreements or awards provide for the granting of family violence leave or other measures to assist victims of family violence?
• Should family violence be better recognised as an occupational health and safety problem, where it affects the workplace?
• How can superannuation law provide better protection to victims of family violence who may be coerced into transferring superannuation benefits or want early access to funds?

Please share your responses to these questions on the Inquiry Blog >>

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The ALRC Brief

This month we will begin publishing the ALRC Brief.

Unlike this inquiry-specific e-newsletter, the ALRC Brief will provide news about ALRC activities in general. In particular it will provide status reports on current inquiries, implementation news on past inquiries, information about our intern programs, and progress on our RAP objectives. From time to time, the ALRC Brief may also include lengthier articles about issues under consideration by the ALRC, relating either to a specific inquiry or to federal law reform in Australia.

The ALRC Brief will be emailed to subscribers three to four times a year.

Subscribe >>

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