Category Archives: Law & Justice

Family Violence: A National Legal Response published

The Australian Law Reform Commission published Family Violence: A National Legal Response.

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Family Law Act reviewed

The Commonwealth Government began to review the Family Law Act 1975, with a particular emphasis on shared parenting provisions.

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Tasmania abolished provocation as a defence to murder

Tasmania abolished provocation as a defence to murder. In 1998, the Model Criminal Code Officers Committee recommended that the defence of provocation be abolished and that the defence of excessive self-defence not be reintroduced. In 2003, Tasmania became the first … Continue reading

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Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Act introduced

The Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Act 1999 came into effect. The Act required a range of organisations with more than 100 people to establish a workplace program to remove the barriers to women entering and advancing in … Continue reading

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New gun control legislation introduced

Australia’s gun control legislative reform in response to the 1996 Port Arthur massacre was a significant shift in public policy with increased community safety as an objective.  Women’s groups in Australia welcomed the legislative reform, which was seen to also … Continue reading

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Family Law Act changed to include provisions about child abuse

The Family Law Act 1975 was amended in 1991 to include provision on the handling of child abuse allegations in custody and access proceedings. (Source Attorney-General’s Department, Canberra).

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Women inspectors were allowed in the Queensland Police

The first women police officers were promoted to inspector level in the Queensland Police Service (Source: Office for Women, Department of Communities, QLD)

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Domestic violence became a criminal offence in Victoria

The introduction of the Crimes (Family Violence) Act 1987 in Victoria, made domestic violence in the State of Victoria, a criminal offence.

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First female High Court Judge appointed – Mary Gaudron

Mary Gaudron was appointed to the High Court in February 1987. She was the first woman appointed to the Court.

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Elizabeth Evatt became the first Chief Judge of the Family Court.

Elizabeth Evatt was the first Chief Judge of the Family Court and the first woman to win the Sydney University Medal in Law (Source: Australian Government Law Reform Commission).

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