LAWYERS ISSUE 'STATEMENT OF INCOMPATIBILITY' ON NT INTERVENTION EXTENSION
[www.theaustralian.com.au]
BY: PATRICIA KARVELAS From: The Australian July 02, 2012 3:01PM

THE Australian Lawyers Alliance has issued a "Statement of Incompatibility" on the Stronger Futures legislation to extend the radical Northern Territory intervention by ten years after it was passed last week.

ALA National President, Greg Barns said the organisation's "Incompatibility Statement" is a direct response to the Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin's Compatibility Statement.

There is also pressure on the Federal Government to subject the Bill to the new Parliamentary Human Rights committee.

"Our statement shows where the Minister's office has got it wrong and just how badly this legislation impacts on Aboriginal lives", he said.

"The rushed recklessness on the part of government and Opposition MPs to surreptitiously push this through parliament shows an awareness that it has it wrong," Mr Barns said.

"The ALA believes the government understood the international guidance given by the United Nations on the subject, but it chose not to follow that guidance when creating the legislation as "a special measure".


"This is seen through its own selective reference to General Recommendation 32 on special measures in its own assessment.

While the assessment cannot be relied upon in a court of law, the process by which it was released and rushed reflects poorly on Ms Macklin and her department.

"The ALA stands by all human rights groups and Indigenous people in opposing this legislation"



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