Media Releases
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Second Quarter 2008
- 16 May 2008 - Government Releases Draft Personal Property Securities Bill
Attorney-General Robert McClelland today released a draft of a comprehensive Commonwealth Bill for personal property securities (PPS) to replace over 70 pieces of Commonwealth, State and Territory law. - 13 May 2008 - AFP Ranks Boosted by 500
Australian Federal Police (AFP) ranks will be boosted by 500 sworn officers over the next five years, as the Rudd Government fulfils an election commitment to increase the AFP’s capacity. - 13 May 2008 - Building More Resilient Communities to Meet the Challenges of the 21st Century
The Rudd Government will provide $42.6 million over four years to help communities become more resilient to threats and disasters, both man-made and natural. - 13 May 2008 - Meeting the Security Challenges of the 21st Century
The Rudd Government will help Australia and our regional partners meet the security challenges of the 21st century with more than $460 million additional funding over five years for a range of initiatives including policing, critical infrastructure protection and disaster mitigation. - 4 May 2008 - ACT Relationship Registration Scheme
Attorney-General Robert McClelland has today welcomed the commitment by the ACT Government to introduce legislation providing for registration of relationships, becoming the third jurisdiction to do so following Tasmania and Victoria. - 3 May 2008 - Government Welcomes Convention on Disabilities
The Rudd Government today welcomed the entry into force of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. - 2 May 2008 - Australia to Take Action Against Torture
Attorney-General Robert McClelland and Foreign Minister Stephen Smith today announced that the Rudd Government has begun the necessary consultations on Australia becoming a party to the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture. - 2 May 2008 - Bushfire Trails get $5 Million Boost
Australia’s bushfire trails will be better maintained with $5 million in funding under the Bushfire Mitigation Program for 2008-09, the Rudd Government announced today. - 30 April 2008 - Rudd Government moves on same-sex discrimination
Legislation to remove same-sex discrimination from a wide range of Commonwealth laws will be introduced in the Winter Sittings of Parliament, Attorney-General Robert McClelland said today. - 23 April 2008 - Single Noongar Decision
Attorney-General Robert McClelland today acknowledged the Full Federal Court’s ruling overturning Justice Wilcox's decision in the Single Noongar native title application that native title is capable of existing in the Perth area. - 18 April 2008 - New Judge of the Supreme Court: Norfolk Island
Attorney-General Robert McClelland today announced the appointment of Justice Garry Downes AM as a judge of the Supreme Court of Norfolk Island. - 18 April 2008 - Boost for social inclusion through better legal services
The Rudd Government is working to improve social inclusion, with Attorney-General Robert McClelland today announcing one-off additional funding of $10 million for the Commonwealth Community Legal Services Program.
First Quarter 2008
- 30 March 2008 - New National Peak Group on Intercountry Adoption
Attorney-General, The Hon Robert McClelland MP, today announced the establishment of Australia’s first National Peak Overseas Adoption Support Group. - 28 March 2008 - McClelland Welcomes New Era of Co-operation
Attorney-General Robert McClelland today welcomed the strong support of State and Territory Attorneys-General to embark on an ambitious program of legal harmonisation across Australia. - 28 March 2008 - Communique - Standing Committee of Attorneys-General
The Standing Committee of Attorneys‑General (SCAG) held its first meeting today since the election of the Rudd Labor Government. - 27 March 2008 - Agreement Reached on Key Micro Economic Reforms
Attorney-General Robert McClelland welcomed today’s agreement from his state and territory counterparts to advance key micro-economic reforms in the areas of personal property securities and electronic conveyancing. - 27 March 2008 – Government funds 'Smart Sparx' Community Fire Safety Eduction Kit
Mr Damian Hale MP, Federal Member for Solomon, has launched the 'Smart Sparx' Community Fire Safety Education Kit today at a presentation at Parliament House in Darwin. - 26 March 2008 – Communique – Ministerial Council for Police and Emergency Management
A new spirit of cooperation has been evident during the first meeting of the Ministerial Council for Police and Emergency Management since the election of the Rudd Government, which was held today in Canberra. - 25 March 2008 - Review of Legislative Instruments Act
Attorney-General Robert McClelland today announced the establishment of a committee to review the Legislative Instruments Act 2003, as stipulated by the Act. - 20 March 2008 - New Services for Children Across Australia
Attorney-General Robert McClelland is today pleased to announce the locations for a new program supporting children dealing with parental relationship breakdown. - 20 March 2008 - Commissioner Reappointed to the ALRC
Attorney-General Robert McClelland today announced the re-appointment of Professor Leslie McCrimmon as a full-time member of the Australian Law Reform Commission. - 13 March 2008 - Clarke Inquiry into the Haneef Case
Former NSW Supreme Court Judge the Hon. John Clarke QC will head a judicial inquiry into the case of Dr Mohamed Haneef. - 13 March 2008 - Attorney-General welcomes release of AFP Street Review recommendations
The Attorney-General Robert McClelland today welcomed the release of the recommendations of the AFP’s Street Review. - 7 March 2008 - Global cyber-terror exercise to test government and industry
The Rudd Government is joining forces with its international allies and private industry to test Australia’s response to a cyber terror attack. - 14 February 2008 - Self reliance recognised in safer communities awards
Attorney-General Robert McClelland has today praised projects from across Australia, which help the public to be better prepared for emergencies. - 13 February 2008 - ALRC report on client legal privilege tabled
The Australian Law Reform Commission’s report, Privilege in Perspective: A Review of Legal Professional Privilege and Federal Investigatory Bodies was tabled today in Parliament by Attorney-General Robert McClelland. - 11 February 2008 - Chemicals review seeks public comment
Attorney-General Robert McClelland has today welcomed the release of a draft report on the control of chemicals of security concern for public consultation and comment. - 24 January 2008 - Government invites stakeholder comment
The Rudd Government has sought stakeholder views on the rights of persons with disabilities. - 22 January 2008 - Submissions sought on photo and film copying law
Submissions are sought on an issues paper released today on the private copying of films and photographs. - 18 January 2008 - Portable barriers sent to help in Queensland floods
The Rudd Government is transporting temporary flood barriers from New South Wales to Queensland to help protect homes in the path of rising flood waters. - 17 January 2008 - Supporting the Wellbeing of Families and Children
Seventy-five new services will open across Australia this year to support the wellbeing of families and children. - 9 January 2008 - Emergency Volunteer Support Fund Applications Invited
Attorney-General Robert McClelland was pleased to announce today that applications for the National Emergency Volunteer Support Fund in 2008/09 are now invited.
Fourth Quarter 2007
- 29 December 2007 - David Hicks is released from Yatala Labour Prison
David Hicks was released from Yatala Labour Prison this morning. He has served his sentence of imprisonment as handed down by a military commission. - 20 December 2007 - Conviction and Sentence for Terrorism Offences Upheld
The New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal today upheld Faheem Khalid Lodhi's conviction for three terrorism offences and his sentence of 20 years imprisonment. - 13 December 2007 - Skycrane Arrives in Canberra for Bushfire Season
Attorney-General Robert McClelland has today welcomed the arrival of an Erickson Skycrane helicopter to assist in the ACT region's firefighting capability. - 5 December 2007 - Security in Government Conference Turns 20
The 20th annual Security in Government (SIG) Conference gets underway in Canberra today and will examine the future of security.