Criminalisation of poverty and homelessness in Australia: A national study. The project aims to assess the policing and enforcement of public order crimes and related offences (e.g. obstruct/disobey police, breach of bail, and minor property offences) on individuals experiencing poverty and homelessness. The project endeavours to collect and analyse qualitative data from across Australia on the lived experience of people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, regarding the impact of crimin ....Criminalisation of poverty and homelessness in Australia: A national study. The project aims to assess the policing and enforcement of public order crimes and related offences (e.g. obstruct/disobey police, breach of bail, and minor property offences) on individuals experiencing poverty and homelessness. The project endeavours to collect and analyse qualitative data from across Australia on the lived experience of people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, regarding the impact of criminal laws and police powers concerned with presence in, and movement around public places. It will particularly focus on the impact on women, children and Indigenous peoples. The outcomes will seek to reduce the criminalisation of homeless people, by identifying law and policy reform options, and comparing their cost with that of 'business as usual'.Read moreRead less
Regulating a Revolution: A New Regulatory Model for Digital Finance. This project aims to draw on regulatory developments abroad to develop an innovative, proportional, incremental regulatory regime for Australian digital financial services (DFS). DFS are set to grow rapidly in Australia, just as they have overseas. An effective and appropriate regulatory regime should result in a more competitive and efficient payments system that will lift productivity and economic growth. The project also int ....Regulating a Revolution: A New Regulatory Model for Digital Finance. This project aims to draw on regulatory developments abroad to develop an innovative, proportional, incremental regulatory regime for Australian digital financial services (DFS). DFS are set to grow rapidly in Australia, just as they have overseas. An effective and appropriate regulatory regime should result in a more competitive and efficient payments system that will lift productivity and economic growth. The project also intends to analyse and resolve regulatory roadblocks to the growth of DFS in developing countries to promote financial inclusion and economic growth, and thereby reduce poverty, in such countries.Read moreRead less
Australian human rights complaints: Litigation, mediation or conciliation. This project will assess the effectiveness of the mechanisms used to resolve human rights complaints in Australia – conciliation, mediation and litigation. It will be the first project to evaluate the effectiveness of these mechanisms in a human rights context. Working with industry partners from the legal sector and four human rights commissions, this project will generate new knowledge on human rights complaints and on ....Australian human rights complaints: Litigation, mediation or conciliation. This project will assess the effectiveness of the mechanisms used to resolve human rights complaints in Australia – conciliation, mediation and litigation. It will be the first project to evaluate the effectiveness of these mechanisms in a human rights context. Working with industry partners from the legal sector and four human rights commissions, this project will generate new knowledge on human rights complaints and on the views of key stakeholders about the effectiveness of the mechanisms used to resolve human rights complaints. This new information will inform legal and policy reform throughout Australia. The expected outcomes include developing a robust evidence-based model for human rights dispute resolution in the Australian context.Read moreRead less
The next generation rural landscape governance: the Australian dimension. The project team in collaboration with Industry and regional stakeholders will undertake innovative research to develop the next generation of natural resource governance in Australia. This project will focus on the reforms required to improve the sustainability performance of primary industries through reduced transaction costs, co-regulatory structures and stewardship.
Indigenous Justice Reports: new narratives and practices in sentencing. This project engages a participatory action research model to assess the impact of Indigenous Justice Reports in criminal sentencing on sentence practices and outcomes for Indigenous women. It introduces Indigenous Reports for Indigenous women in Victorian Koori Courts and expands their availability in Queensland Murri Courts. Its comparative research approach identifies how place-based factors influence the process and impa ....Indigenous Justice Reports: new narratives and practices in sentencing. This project engages a participatory action research model to assess the impact of Indigenous Justice Reports in criminal sentencing on sentence practices and outcomes for Indigenous women. It introduces Indigenous Reports for Indigenous women in Victorian Koori Courts and expands their availability in Queensland Murri Courts. Its comparative research approach identifies how place-based factors influence the process and impact of Indigenous Reports on sentencing. This project seeks to improve sentencing processes and outcomes for Indigenous defendants by providing courts with reports that address personal and community circumstances of Indigenous women, provide relevant sentencing options and are accompanied with appropriate supports.Read moreRead less
The Legal Framework for International Cooperation in Maritime Enforcement Activities. The Project will analyse the gaps in the international framework to achieve cooperation in maritime enforcement and make recommendations for improvements to existing legislative arrangements to facilitate successful combat of international maritime criminal activity.The Project is timely because it addresses some long-standing national requirements to improve Australia's ability to adequately enforce its sovere ....The Legal Framework for International Cooperation in Maritime Enforcement Activities. The Project will analyse the gaps in the international framework to achieve cooperation in maritime enforcement and make recommendations for improvements to existing legislative arrangements to facilitate successful combat of international maritime criminal activity.The Project is timely because it addresses some long-standing national requirements to improve Australia's ability to adequately enforce its sovereign rights throughout its maritime zones of jurisdiction. The issues involved have taken on a greater contemporary significance in light of recent events, including the surge in illegal people smuggling into Australia, increased illegal fishing activity in Australia's Southern Ocean exclusive economic zone by highly organized criminal syndicates and heightened tensions with regard to maritime terrorism.
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Mitigating tax barriers to trade and investment relations between Australia and the People’s Republic of China. China and Australia's conflicting tax rules and attitudes towards tax administration affect the level of trade, investment and labour mobility between the two countries. This project will explore and propose methods of reform for both the Chinese and Australian tax systems to strengthen our economic relationship.
Australian Electoral Law: Building a System for the 21st Century. An effective regime of electoral law and regulation is vital to the integrity of any democratic system. The litigation arising from the recent US Presidential election clearly demonstrates this. But electoral law is a neglected discipline in Australia. This impedes best practice electoral administration and the orderly development and modernisation of electoral law norms and rules. With the involvement and backing of Electoral Cou ....Australian Electoral Law: Building a System for the 21st Century. An effective regime of electoral law and regulation is vital to the integrity of any democratic system. The litigation arising from the recent US Presidential election clearly demonstrates this. But electoral law is a neglected discipline in Australia. This impedes best practice electoral administration and the orderly development and modernisation of electoral law norms and rules. With the involvement and backing of Electoral Council of Australia (representing all Australian electoral authorities), this project will produce leading scholarship that will assist the ongoing development of an appropriate regime of electoral law for Australia in the 21st century.Read moreRead less
Improving the communication of forensic science evidence to courts. Improving the communication of forensic science evidence to courts. The project aims to reduce the presentation of inaccurate and unscientific forensic science evidence to fact-finders by developing evidence-based recommendations for optimising accurate and effective communication between scientists and courts. The interdisciplinary approach, informed by law, cognitive and forensic science, aims to provide methods for expressing ....Improving the communication of forensic science evidence to courts. Improving the communication of forensic science evidence to courts. The project aims to reduce the presentation of inaccurate and unscientific forensic science evidence to fact-finders by developing evidence-based recommendations for optimising accurate and effective communication between scientists and courts. The interdisciplinary approach, informed by law, cognitive and forensic science, aims to provide methods for expressing opinions that meet stakeholder needs and can be implemented to improve the rectitude of criminal justice systems in Australia and around the world.Read moreRead less
Post-separation co-parenting apps: Can they help families avoid conflict? This project aims to examine the role and effectiveness of smartphone apps in supporting families to respond to the many challenges of post-separation co-parenting. In an increasingly digital landscape where poor app choices can have serious consequences for families, this knowledge is urgently needed by parents and family law practitioners. This project expects to deliver a comprehensive understanding of the benefits and ....Post-separation co-parenting apps: Can they help families avoid conflict? This project aims to examine the role and effectiveness of smartphone apps in supporting families to respond to the many challenges of post-separation co-parenting. In an increasingly digital landscape where poor app choices can have serious consequences for families, this knowledge is urgently needed by parents and family law practitioners. This project expects to deliver a comprehensive understanding of the benefits and risks of digital divorce apps. Expected outcomes include the first web-based decision-making tool to help separated parents make important decisions about managing post-separation communication. This should provide significant benefits, including a reduced risk of parental conflict and better outcomes for children.Read moreRead less