Past Justice Action Campaigns
- As the only group invited to make an oral presentation to the Senate Inquiry into the Crimes (Forensic Procedures) Act in December 2000, we defended the privacy of human genetic material against the top four experts from the Attorney-General and the Federal Police.
- Distributed the only questionnaire to prisoners during the NSW Drug Summit 1999 and had six MP crossbenchers write, “the participation of Justice Action is absolutely crucial to deliberations at the Summit”.
- Took up a position as a foundation member on the Justice Health Consumer Council monitoring the health of all NSW prisoners.
- Consistently pressured the government to control the spread of blood borne communicable diseases in prisons through the immediate availability of condoms, clean syringes and dental dams.
- Initiated ex-prisoner Richard Lynott's case against the government for negligence due to their failure to supply clean needles and syringes in prison, causing his death.
- In conjunction with Pride, Justice Action succeeded in having the KM1 herbal trial available for HIV+ prisoners.
Prisoners’ Rights
- Assisted the successful High Court challenge to return the prisoner right to vote. Were asked to present the case for prisoners before the Senate Inquiry in 2006.
- After the Nagle Royal Commission exposures and government inaction, ran a private prosecution against ten Grafton and Bathurst prison officers and a doctor for 4 months working with law students and thirty-two prisoner witnesses.
- Facilitated the creation of the Australian Prisoners Union in 1999.
- Successfully defended the prisoners’ right to vote nationally in 1997, giving the only oral evidence at the Senate Inquiry.
- Part of the initiating committee for the NSW Prisoners Legal Service following the Nagle Royal Commission.
- Held the position as Australian Coordinator for International Prison Watch.
- Initiated recommendations made in the Prison Visitors Survey Report and worked with Corrective Services to propose changes.
- Opposition of Department of Health’s attempts to implement smoke free policies in NSW mental health inpatient facilities
- Initiated the Stop the Women's Jail Campaign after the government rejection of the 126 submissions against the prison and only Corrective Services for it. Employed Kerry Nettle (later Senator) as the Coordinator.
- Worked with Women Behind Bars to successfully change the law on provocation in domestic violence murder cases, around the Bruce and Violet Roberts Blockade.
- In consultation with women at Emu Plains Correctional Centre, fought administrational changes to all day visitations that reduced the amount of time mothers were able to spend with their children.
Community
- Hosted the Eleventh International Conference on Penal Abolition ICOPA XI in Tasmania in 2006 and organised it for London in 2008.
- Supervised hundreds of people on community service orders since 1984.
- Coordinated the NSW Criminal Justice Coalition for two and a half years.
- Justice Action was acknowledged in Parliament by Liberal barrister Jeremy Kinross as “consistently standing for truth”.
Education
- In conjunction with TAFE, created a community mentoring course with special modules to address the needs of those in tension with the law. The 22 graduates were mainly ex-prisoners.
- Coordinated the Justice Action Mulawa Project, which saw volunteer law students and solicitors visiting Mulawa Correctional Centre weekly, and the circulation of plain English legal/prison issue booklets into Mulawa.
- Justice Action co-hosted the first national conference of Community-based Criminal Justice Activists.
- Initiated the computer project, which had over 100 computers donated to prisons from the corporate and community
Justice
- Forced the exposure and reform of the corrupt police practice of concocting confessions called the police “verbal”.
- Hosted the defence of those accused of the Hilton Hotel bombing and employed the coordinator of the successful Anderson, Dunn and Alister campaign.
- Lobbied for the Wood Royal Commission and brought evidence on numerous issues including wrongful convictions and followed for case reviews.
