The Albanese Government is committed to strengthening our justice system by listening to victims and survivors of sexual violence.
Today we are calling for expressions of interest from victims and survivors of sexual violence, and their advocates, to join an Expert Advisory Group (EAG) assisting the Australian Law Reform Commission's (ALRC) inquiry into justice responses to sexual violence.
The May 2023 Budget provided $6.5 million over four years to the Attorney-General's portfolio to strengthen criminal justice responses to sexual assault. This included funding for an ALRC inquiry into justice responses to sexual violence, a ministerial-level national roundtable in August 2023, and the EAG.
The EAG will inform the upcoming ALRC inquiry and advise the Government on implementation of its recommendations. The ALRC will also consult with academic and legal experts.
This inquiry complements other work under the National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children 2022-2032 and the Standing Council of Attorneys-General Work Plan to Strengthen Criminal Justice Responses to Sexual Assault 2022-27, which acknowledge that no effective solutions can be developed without the input of victims and survivors. Only victims and survivors have this firsthand knowledge of services, systems and structures that are meant to support them but too often fail them.
