In December 2009 the government introduced new street laws. They are now law.
The Summary Offences and Control of Weapons Acts Amendment Act 2009 give police new powers to move people on, to stop and search, to charge with new disorder offences and give on the spot fines starting at $ 234.
These laws were largely in response to concern about CBD drunken violence.
Youthlaw and many other organisations lobbied the government to exclude children and young people under 18 from these new laws however the bill as proposed went through.
Youthlaw pointed out that CBD drunken violence is overwhelmingly committed by adults from mid 20's to 30's. Police crime stats for 2008-9 indicate youth violent crime decreased by 3.3% whereas there was an increase by 7% in adult violent crime.
CBD violence is not a youth issue but rather a serious community issue concern requiring an attitudinal shift about drunken violence and tighter regulation of alcohol sales and licensing.
Interstate experience of move on powers is that they are overwhelmingly used against very young people and are not effective in preventing and targeting crime.
The government has admitted its new laws, especially the search powers, breach their own Charter of Rights, especially the rights of children and young people.
The National Human Rights Consultation Committee set up by the Federal gov't received over 35,000 written submissions about whether Australia ahould have a human rights act. This is the largest public response to any government consultation in Australia's history. 87% were in favour .
The Committee released its report in October 2009. It identifies major problems and inadequacies with human rights protection in Australia and in particular for those who are most marginalised and vulnerable.
The Committee's recommendations included:
- the enactment of a national Human Rights Act,
- better human rights education
- improving parliamentary scrutiny of human rights, and
- addressing acute disadvantage experienced by groups such as Indigenous people.
The Government is currently deciding how it will respond to these recommendations.
WHAT YOU CAN DO : NOW IS THE TIME to encourage the Government to adopt the Committee's recommendations.
Sign a pettion at www.getup.org.au/campaign/EnactOurAct, or
send an email to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd [kevin.rudd.mp@aph.gov.au], or Attorney General Robert McClelland [attorney@ag.gov.au]
Young?
A student?
Homeless?
Strapped for Cash?
Travelling by public transport?
Stressed by fines?
Ticket Inspectors Got You Down?
Campaign Respect Wants To Hear From You!!!!
Campaign Respect has been started up by a group of young people here at Youthlaw. It’s a grassroots campaign using info and digital activism to mobilise young people to bring about social and political change.
Those of us who started the campaign are sick of being treated disrespectfully by ticket inspectors because we are young people.
Youthlaw also receives a lot of complaints from young people about their treatment by Public Transport Authorised Operators (AOs) or ticket inspectors. This ranges from disrespect and humiliation to verbal and physical abuse.
Volunteers have so far interviewed 350 young people at Federation Square and Flinders St station.
A website page is being set up so you can submit your experiences online You can submit your complaints in writing, text, and by photo and video footage.
A campaign Facebook will enable you to get involved.
Your experiences will be used to lobby for change.
If you feel like you’ve been unfairly targeted by ticket inspectors on Public Transport…
Send your experiences and complaints to us to:
What do I do when...? is a resource for anyone who works with young people aged 12-25. It details areas of the law that youth workers may come across in their work with young people and provides answers to common legal questions.
Download What do I do when...? [435kb PDF]
