Law Reform Flashcards
What is public morality?
Standards of behaviour generally agreed upon by the community
What are social values?
Ethical standards that guide people in their thinking about aspects of their society
What was the De Facto Relationships Act of 1984?
The De Facto Relationships Act 1984 (NSW) established certain rights for people living in de facto relationships, (people who live together as a couple but are not married) such as laws about property and custody of children.
Why did the De Facto Relationships Act of 1984 change?
It was reformed to also include same-sex de facto couples, and was renamed Property (Relationships) Act 1984 (NSW).
What did the Rudd Government do in 2008?
They conducted an audit of Commonwealth legislation to remove discrimination and to enable same-sex couples and their children to be recognised by Commonwealth law. This removed discrimination from federal legislation in areas such as taxation, superannuation, social security and Medicare safety nets.
What happened to the Marriage Act in 2017?
In December of 2017, the Marriage Act was amended to change the definition of marriage to ‘the union of two people’.
What is capital punishment?
The practice of sentencing a person to death by judicial process; also referred to as the ‘death penalty’
What are some arguments against capital punishment?
- Executing a person completely removes the possibility of rehabilitation
- It violates international human rights treaties against inhumane and cruel punishment.
- It is imposed more often on poor, uneducated and otherwise vulnerable people.
- There is the risk of killing an innocent person who has been wrongly convicted.
What are Youth Justice Conferences?
A meeting of all the people who may be affected by a crime committed by a young offender; used to help the offender to accept responsibility for their actions while avoiding the court system
Why did the legal definition of death have to change?
Due to the development of life-support machines in the 60s, most jurisdictions were amended to define death as the irreversible cessation of all functions of the entire brain, rather than just referring to the cessation of respiration and heartbeat.
What is the The Crimes (Forensic Procedures) Act 2000 (NSW)?
The Act sets out who may be tested for DNA and who may order the test, as well as detailed requirements for how the procedures may be conducted.
DNA is very stable over a significant period and biological material collected can be used decades later to create DNA profiles for analysis.
What is identity theft?
Obtaining or using the identity of another person in order to commit a range of fraudulent activities, usually to obtain financial gain
Which legislation provision is most relevant to identity theft?
Section 192E of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW)
