On 25 November 2015, the Senate referred the matter of inconsistencies and inadequacies of current criminal, civil and administrative penalties for corporate and financial misconduct or white-collar crime to the Economics References Committee for inquiry and report. The terms of reference were as follows: (a) evidentiary standards across various acts and instruments; (b) the use...

Some human rights obligations are absolute under international law. However, in relation to most human rights, prescribed limitations on the enjoyment of a right may be justified under international law if certain requirements are met. Accordingly, a focus of the committee's reports is to determine whether any limitation of a human right identified in proposed...

Bees play a vital role in food production through pollination. This report explores threats to the bee industry.

On 8 November 2016, pursuant to the section 7(c) of the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011, the Attorney-General referred to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights the following matters for inquiry and report: whether the operation of Part IIA of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth) (including sections 18C and 18D) impose unreasonable...

Flying-foxes are a keystone species within Australia’s mammal populations and the ecosystems that they affect. They are an integral part of the ecosystem and are important dispersers of pollen and seeds of a wide range of Australian native plants across the eastern seaboard. Two species of mainland flying-foxes currently have a protected listing under the...