Harmonising spent convictions laws in Australia:

PIAC has provided comments to the NSW Attorney General’s Department on the Standing Committee of Attorneys General (SCAG) Draft Model Spent Convictions Bill 2008 (SA), supporting the harmonisation of spent convictions laws in Australia. PIAC notes its previous submission to the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission on discrimination on the basis of criminal record and its particular impact on homeless people (include link to this previous sub – March 2005). In the current submission, PIAC identifies, among other things, the need for greater clarity in relation to findings of guilt where no conviction is recorded (section 10 determinations) and suspended sentences.