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Author » Manoj Dias-Abey
Signing off
As this is my final Star Legals column, I would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you for all your support and feedback this year. I’ve ... Read more
Wed December 17th, 2008 - No Comments
The end of Work Choices
After months of secrecy and speculation, the Australian Government recently introduced into Parliament the new Fair Work Bill 2008, which, if passed by the Senate, will repeal several controversial aspects ... Read more
Wed December 10th, 2008 - No Comments
Diversity can be good for business
Speaking at the Australian Institute of Company Directors at the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA) census launch on 28 October, ANZ chief executive Mike Smith spoke ... Read more
Wed November 26th, 2008 - No Comments
Fallout over Proposition 8
As gay rights groups continue to analyse the causes of their failure to defeat Proposition 8, divisions have emerged between gay rights groups and black civil rights activists over the ... Read more
Wed November 19th, 2008 - No Comments
Political problems need political solutions
As the disappointing news filtered through last Thursday that a majority of Californians had endorsed Proposition 8 (the amendment to the Californian Constitution which would expressly define marriage as between ... Read more
Wed November 12th, 2008 - No Comments
A desperate PR exercise
The lockout trial announced by the Surry Hills Police Local Area Command last week and due to start on 1 December makes it abundantly clear that regulatory authorities have completely ... Read more
Wed November 5th, 2008 - 2 Comments
The solution isn’t an orgy of regulation
As the financial crisis continues apace, the response from some quarters is becoming increasingly bizarre. One of the more ridiculous stances taken in this discussion has been by those who have ... Read more
Wed October 29th, 2008 - No Comments
Separate but equal
Michael Kirby’s inaugural lecture delivered last Wednesday in honour of the late John Marsden should cause us all to pause and consider whether the same-sex equality reforms currently being debated ... Read more
Wed October 22nd, 2008 - No Comments
Federal age discrimination laws tightened
Federal Attorney-General Robert McClelland recently announced that the Federal Government would be beefing up the Age Discrimination Act 2004 to outlaw age discrimination in a broader range of circumstances. Although ... Read more
Wed October 15th, 2008 - No Comments
Paid parental leave coming?
The Productivity Commission released its draft report into a comprehensive paid parental leave scheme for all Australian employees last week. Earlier this year, the Rudd Government requested that the Productivity ... Read more
Wed October 8th, 2008 - No Comments
The race for regulation
The financial crisis currently engulfing Wall Street has caused some to question whether the financial markets in the United States are subject to enough regulation. This in turn has renewed the ... Read more
Wed October 1st, 2008 - No Comments
Relationship register hope
The results from the local council elections held in Sydney recently, which saw the election of a number of progressive independent and party-aligned candidates, has renewed hopes for new council-backed ... Read more
Wed September 24th, 2008 - No Comments
Court ambivalent about employer’s duty
In a judgment handed down recently, the Supreme Court of Appeal in New South Wales left unsettled the question of whether parties to an employment relationship were required to deal ... Read more
Wed September 17th, 2008 - No Comments
Haneef’s case a warning
You may be forgiven if you missed the Australian Federal Police’s (AFP) announcement last week that it had insufficient evidence to institute proceedings for criminal charges against Brisbane doctor, Dr ... Read more
Wed September 10th, 2008 - 1 Comment
FOI reforms necessary
The introduction of Freedom of Information (FOI) legislation in Australia in the early 1980s was an important step in opening up government decisions to greater scrutiny. FOI legislation allows private ... Read more
Wed September 3rd, 2008 - No Comments
Council curtails federal law-making power
A recent decision by the Federal Court in Australian Workers’ Union of Employees, Queensland v Etheridge Shire Council [2008] FCA 1268 (Etheridge Case) found that Etheridge Shire Council in Queensland ... Read more
Wed August 27th, 2008 - No Comments
New privacy laws on the horizon
On 11 August 2008 John Faulkner launched the Australian Law Reform Commission’s (ALRC) report into privacy laws in Australia. The report is tremendous in scope, the result of a 28-month ... Read more
Wed August 20th, 2008 - No Comments
Same-sex marriage equality in California
While recently in San Francisco, I caught up with Rachel Biale, Acting Executive Director and Bay Area Regional Director of the Progressive Jewish Alliance (PJA), to discuss the PJA’s involvement ... Read more
Wed August 13th, 2008 - 2 Comments
New High Court Chief Justice announced
The Rudd Government announced last week that Justice French of the Federal Court would take over as Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia when the current Chief Justice, ... Read more
Wed August 6th, 2008 - 2 Comments
A new employee safety net
The Federal Government recently released the proposed form of the National Employment Standard (NES) which outlines 10 basic conditions of employment for all employees. The NES is due to come ... Read more
Wed July 30th, 2008 - 1 Comment
The pitfalls of change
Sydney Star Observer readers would be aware that the Same-Sex Relationships (Equal Treatment Commonwealth Laws- Superannuation) Bill 2008 (the Bill) was introduced into Parliament on 28 May 2008. The Coalition’s ... Read more
Wed July 23rd, 2008 - 3 Comments
WYD regulations ruled invalid
Readers may recall that the Star legal column in last week’s edition looked at the farce which was the World Youth Day Regulations 2008. Since then two activists involved with ... Read more
Wed July 16th, 2008 - 1 Comment
The farce of World Youth Day
With little fanfare, the Iemma Government tabled a series of regulations last week which makes it an offence, punishable with a fine up to $5,500, to “cause annoyance or inconvenience ... Read more
Wed July 9th, 2008 - No Comments
The nature of judicial appointments
With the appointment of three judges to the Federal Court last week by the Rudd Government and the pending appointment of a Chief Justice to the High Court later this ... Read more
Wed July 2nd, 2008 - No Comments
The evolution of marriage
The religious right and members of the GLBTI community who oppose gay marriage have more in common than one might initially expect. Both parties have a static view of marriage ... Read more
Thu June 26th, 2008 - No Comments
GAMMA
GAMMA, a support group for married men who have sex with men, meets in secure confidential and non-sexual surroundings at the ACON building, 9 Commonwealth St, Surry Hills, on the first and third Wednesdays of each month at 8pm. There is also a support line, Monday-Friday 6-10 pm, on 9267 4000.
www.gamma.org.auGAY BUSINESS
The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Business Association hosts Lemons With a Twist on the first Friday of each month and Fruits in Suits on the third Thursday of each month, at Slide.
www.sglba.com.auCOME OUT AUSTRALIA
Come Out Australia is a social group for our community, with branches in Canterbury-Bankstown, Epping/ Northern Districts and Penrith. You're invited to "Come Out"; get involved with a branch, event, project, or to start something happening in your area.
www.comeout.org.auQUEERSCREEN
Lovers of gay cinema are encouraged to become a member of Queerscreen, Sydney’s premier gay and lesbian film festival body.
www.queerscreen.com.au
Current Issue
Hope for lock-out rethink
Oxford St publicans have called on the newly-formed Sydney Liquor Task Force to review the 2am lock-out system and come up with more effective measures for handling alcohol-related violence. The state Government, with the City ... Read more
Oxford now with receiver
Oxford Hotel management insists it will be business as usual despite the pub’s holding ... Read more
Same-sex marriage push
The Greens have made good on a promise to introduce a private member’s bill ... Read more
ACON’s three-year vision
ACON CEO Stevie Clayton has declared a drop in HIV rates as a key ... Read more
Back on the trax
DJ Rob will be back at Bears Den Night Flinders Hotel on Friday, July ... Read more
They could get away with murder
With a name like KillaQueenz, one would naturally assume Kween G and Belizean Bombshell ... Read more