prisons

We support the Commonwealth Government’s commitment to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT).

The Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 (Vic) (the Charter) imposes human rights obligations on every public authority in Victoria.  Relevantly for present purposes, s 10 of the Charter provides that:

A person must not be—

(a) subjected to torture; or

(b) treated or punished in a cruel, inhuman or degrading way; or

Liberty Victoria strongly opposes the Sentencing (Community Correction Order) and Other Acts Amendment Bill 2016 (Vic) (‘The Bill’). It is an unnecessary reform to the Community Correction Order (‘CCO’) regime that further entrenches mandatory sentencing in Victoria.

The legal apparatus that provides for a person with a cognitive disability to be detained, without review and on an indefinite basis, is concerning. The right to liberty, and the associated right to humane treatment while being deprived of liberty, are core tenets of Liberty Victoria[1] and are also enshrined under international human rights law.[2]

Liberty Victoria opposes the enactment of the Serious Sex Offenders (Detention and Supervision) Amendment (Community Safety) Bill 2016 (Vic) (“the Bill”). The principal issue is whether the measures proposed to be introduced by the Bill are reasonably adapted for the purpose of making the Victorian community safer, and constitute a proportionate limitation on the rights of people made subject to Serious Sex Offenders (Detention and Supervision) Act 2009 (“the SSODSA”) orders.