Neil, Laura --- "President's page: The fight goes on" [2018] PrecedentAULA 29; (2018) 146 Precedent 3

---

THE FIGHT GOES ON

By Laura Neil

In my first president’s page I committed to endeavouring to improve the reach of the ALA to our regional members. I hope that over the last 12 months, I have made some small steps towards achieving this goal. Thanks to the initial efforts of my predecessor, Tony Kenyon, our Western Australia branch has been re-formed, and today we have a record number of members in the west. In March I attended a networking event in Tasmania, which I hope re-invigorated our most southern members, and will see the re-formation of a committee there also. Our Northern Territory branch has also increased its membership by 50 per cent.

We have launched our Regional Ambassador program, which has established ambassadors in many of our regional centres throughout Queensland, NSW and Victoria, in particular. With this program in place, I am confident we will be able to better represent our many members who practise outside the capital cities. Of course, we are always looking for more ambassadors to represent the regions, so it is not too late to become involved.

I have also spent the past year calling upon you to do more. And you have done just that. In the ACT, several of our members stepped up to be involved in the Citizen’s Jury Project and the Deliberative Democracy Project to try to salvage CTP claims in its jurisdiction. The NSW branch worked incredibly hard to the same end in its jurisdiction. Queensland fought for the introduction of industrial manslaughter laws. The work of members in the NDIS, disability and insurance, asylum seekers and institutional abuse spaces has been sensational.

I have made my way around the country this year attending conferences and functions in the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria. I have met many of you and tried to listen to your concerns and needs. The ALA will continue to respond to your suggestions, feedback and praise with the ever-present goal of protecting and promoting the rights and freedoms of individuals.

But the fight goes on. The #MeToo campaign has sparked international debate regarding many issues surrounding women in the workplace, and will no doubt continue to be at the forefront of the news for some time to come. This campaign has sought to emphasise what many already realise – sexual harassment in the workplace continues to be a real issue. We must continue to be cognisant and speak up against it in our own workplaces. The implementation of the redress scheme for survivors of institutional abuse continues to be a work in progress, as does the removal of limitation periods for such victims in some jurisdictions. The rights of detainees are constantly under attack; more work is needed to protect this vulnerable group.

This past year has also seen what is perhaps an unprecedented attack on our legal system and the rule of law, by some of our most senior politicians. In an environment where common law rights are being continually eroded by our governments, we cannot be complacent in the face of such attacks. It is incumbent upon us, as members of the ALA, to call out such behaviour and continue to be the voice for those who cannot speak for themselves.

I am grateful to have had the opportunity to represent you over the past year. I thank all of those who have supported me in the role – staff, spokespersons, state presidents. Your assistance has been invaluable. As I come to the end of my term as your president, I am ecstatic to see another woman taking over the reins – you will have an exceptional leader in Noor Blumer, and I look forward to the next 12 months of her presidency.