Equality: Submission on draft Model Spent Convictions Bill

The Victorian Department of Justice, in conjunction with the Standing Committee of Attorneys-General, recently announced that it was working on a national model Bill for a spent convictions scheme and invited the HRLRC to make a submission in relation to a draft Bill.  The purpose of a spent convictions scheme is broadly to limit the effect of a person's conviction for certain offences if the person completes a period of crime-free behaviour. Secondee lawyers, Jessica Zikman from Lander & Rogers and Maryam Minai from Mallesons Stephen Jaques, prepared a Submission on the Model Spent Convictions Bill based on a statement of compatibility model - that is, their submission considered that if enacted in Victoria, the Bill would need to be Charter-compliant and therefore analysed the Bill and its impact on human rights by way of its compatibility with the Charter.

Download the HRLC submission here.