Law Reform
St Kilda Legal Service is committed to undertaking legal policy development and law reform activities and this complements the casework undertaken by the Service.
Legal policy and law reform activities may be pro-active, initiated by the Service, or reactive in response to legislative reviews by government or other law reform bodies. Law reform activities may be short-term in nature, such as responding to a one-off call for submissions, or may be an ongoing long-term campaign that could take years to achieve reform. Therefore the Service, where possible, takes a flexible and responsive approach to its law reform and legal policy activities.
The aim of lobbying for reform in the law and its administration is to improve access to justice and the legal system in striving for the Service's vision of a socially just community and to avoid injustices resulting from enforcement and application of the law.
Legal policy and law reform submissions made by St Kilda Legal Service include:
- Family Violence Bill Submission
In October 2007 SKLS made a submission to the Department of Justice supporting the draft Bill, but also hightlighting areas of concern where survivors of family violence may not be adequately protected by an interim order.
- DDA Bill Submission
In February 2004 SKLS made a submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Committee inquiry into the Disability Discrimination Amendment Bill 2003 opposing the Bill which sought to exclude drug users from making complaints.
- BC submission 1
- BC submission 2
SKLS has made 2 submissions to the review of the law regulating bodies corporate being conducted by Consumer Affairs Victoria. SKLS has advocated for easily accessible and inexpensive dispute resolution processes to determine body corporate disputes.
- Family Law Submission
SKLS made a submission to the Commonwealth inquiry into child custody arrangements after family separation in August 2003 opposing the introduction of a presumption of parents equally sharing care of children after separation.
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