Sexual violence law reform
In 2024, researchers from ARCSHS and Monash University made a submission to the inquiry into justice responses to sexual violence being led by the Australian Law Reform Commission.
The inquiry was established as part of the Australian Government’s commitment to strengthen and harmonise sexual assault and consent laws and promote just outcomes for people who have experienced sexual violence.
The team were later asked to provide further advice to a Commission roundtable.
The Commission’s report, tabled in parliament in March 2025, made recommendations that aligned with their submission.
These included funding for victims and survivors to access independent legal services, and a recommendation that each state and territory government review its victims of crime compensation scheme for equality of access, and consistency.
In tabling the report, the Attorney-General announced a $21.4 million package to strengthen support for victims and survivors, with funding focused on piloting specialist, trauma-informed sexual assault legal services in every state and territory.
Cannabis decriminalisation
ARCSHS researchers made a submission to the Victorian Legislative Council’s Legal and Social Issues Committee on the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Amendment (Regulation of Personal Adult Use of Cannabis) Bill.
The Bill proposes to make it lawful for an adult to cultivate a limited number of cannabis plants, and to possess and use small quantities of cannabis and tetrahydrocannabinol.
The Committee recommended that any cannabis law reform legislation should be progressed as a Government Bill and that the Government should consider adopting an approach in line with that proposed by the Bill with some amendments.
This is significant as it contemplates legalising the cultivation, possession, and use of small quantities of cannabis and its compounds
The team also propose additional amendments to protect people experiencing homelessness against criminal penalties.
The Government will publish a response to the Committee’s recommendations by September 2025.
Alcohol and drugs policy and law reform
Researchers from ARCSHS and the University of NSW also made a submission to the inquiry into the health impacts of alcohol and other drugs (‘AOD’) in Australia.
The inquiry was established to assess the impacts of current services across the AOD sector, the effectiveness of current programs and initiatives to improved prevention and reduction of AOD ‘harms’, and how sectors beyond health can contribute to this.
The House of Representatives Standing Committe on Health, Aged Care and Sport noted several ARCSHS recommendations in their issues paper, particularly its focus on the way language can perpetuate stigma and harm against people who use AOD.
The Committee concluded that “an in-depth investigation of decriminalisation initiatives is a critical step in informing future policy in this area” and will consider completing a full inquiry report into the health impacts of AOD in Australia in the next Parliament.
Find out more about the work of the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society.
