The Harms of Solitary Confinement – Webinar
Registration Link: tinyurl.com/UVJHoSCDate: Wednesday 11 August 2021Time: 5pm to 6pm ESTLocation: Zoom Download the PDF invite here for biographies on panellists. What is solitary confinement, and how, when and why is it usually used? Is there a right to healthcare in prisons, and what sort of care is provided in practice? What do we know […]
Leadership from the Andrews Government required after the Commonwealth Government turns its back on crucial recommendations by UN nations
9 July 2021 Yesterday, the Commonwealth Government rejected a raft of recommendations made by UN nations, including recommendations to raise the age of criminal responsibility. With the Commonwealth Government’s leadership failure in regard to raising the age, it is time for Victoria to stop dragging its heels. The ACT has already committed to raising the […]
Coronial Inquest into the death of Raymond Noel Lindsay Thomas draws to a close
2 July 2021 Today, the last day of the two-week Coronial Inquest into the death of Raymond Noel, started with a smoking ceremony in the morning, before closing submissions. In the middle of the Coronial Inquest, last Friday, Raymond Noel’s family marked the four-year anniversary of his death. That is a long time to wait, […]
Coronial Inquest into the Death in Custody of Raymond Noel Lindsay Thomas Begins Today
Raymond Noel Lindsay Thomas (referred to as “Raymond Noel” for cultural reasons) was a proud Gunnai, Gunditjmara and Wiradjuri man. Raymond Noel died in a police pursuit on 25 June 2017. Raymond Noel’s family have waited a long time for a chance to learn the truth about the circumstances that led to his death, and […]
Bail Reform is Urgently Needed in Victoria
Today VALS and more than three dozen human rights and law groups called on the Andrews Government to reform their draconian bail laws. Read the letter here. Find a petition of experts here. You can listen to ABC’s radio coverage here. You can read the ABC Online article here.
Andrews Government funding failure forces freeze on intake of new clients at VALS
Due to the funding decisions of the Andrews Government in the Victorian Budget 2021/22, VALS does not have the funding we need to recruit new lawyers and manage the increase in demand for our services. Our lawyers currently manage an average of 130 casefiles each, far more than the sector recommendation of 50. Without funding […]
STATEMENT: Victoria must abandon proposal to put police in classrooms
Fifteen years after the last police-in-schools scheme in Victoria was scrapped, Victoria Police are pushing to put officers in classrooms to rebuild their relationship with the community. VALS is calling on the Victorian Government to block any plans for an expensive PR exercise that will be bad for children’s welfare and come at the cost […]
Statement from Patricia Lamont
Quotes Attributable to Patricia Lamont. “This process has already taken so long and I am continually forced to fight for the justice my daughter and I deserve.” “I only found out about my daughter’s death after Police messaged me on Facebook and then came around to my house.” “I didn’t know she had been in […]
STATEMENT: Victoria must raise the age of criminal responsibility immediately as the federal government process stalls
23 April 2021 At the Meeting of the Attorneys-General, on 31 March 2021, a decision was made to engage in discussions regarding raising the minimum age of criminal responsibility out-of-session. After almost 4 years deliberating on this issue, and hindering reform that is urgently needed, the Commonwealth Attorney General’s Department has decided that raising the […]
Coronial Inquest into death of Veronica Marie Nelson to examine healthcare in Victorian prisons and bail laws
Today the Coroner postponed the date of the Inquest into the death of Veronica Marie Nelson. The Inquest will now commence on 26 April 2022. The Coroner also provided the parties a further opportunity to make submissions regarding expert evidence and outstanding requests for evidence. Veronica Marie Nelson was a strong Gunditjmara, Dja Dja Wurrung, […]