Report shines light on justice black hole
25/07/2013
Dignity for Disability MLC Kelly Vincent has welcomed the report tabling of the Access to Justice Select Committee she established in South Australian Parliament in October 2011.
“Dignity for Disability has long been campaigning on issues of justice and people with disability, so we are really pleased to see that this Committee and now the resulting report is just one of many initiatives that are being worked on at both state and commonwealth levels to improve the justice system for people with disabilities,” says Ms Vincent.
“Recognition that accessible justice is a neglected area of investigation Australia-wide is slowly increasing.
“Along with the consultations on the Disability Justice Plan by the Attorney-General here in South Australia, the Commonwealth’s Human Rights Commission is investigating the justice system for people with disabilities, and now Disability Discrimination Commissioner Graeme Innes is heading up the Law Reform Commission’s inquiry into legal barriers for people with disability.
“One of the Committee’s key recommendations is to see the use of disability justice advocates to supporta person with disability at all stages of the justice process to be aware of, and exercise, their legal rights.
“This Committee, through its research and hearings has brought into the open some of the tragic miscarriages of justice that occur because our current justice system is not set up to work with people with disabilities.
“In addition to substantial changes needing to occur in relation to our Evidence Act, there are significant reforms that need to be made to the attitudes of our police, courts and legal systems so they have a much better understanding of the needs and vulnerabilities of people with disabilities as both offenders and victims in our justice system.
“The Evidence Act needs urgent amendment so a broader range of methods can be used to admit evidence in our courts. We need to ensure trained intermediaries can be used to facilitate communication in court, and that hearsay evidence is admissible under certain conditions.”
