Centre for Rural Regional Law and Justice (CRRJL)

Research activities

Centre research is practical, relevant and applicable and focuses on improving access to and the delivery of equitable law and justice system services to rural and regional Australia.

Research is undertaken by the Centre in a number of principal areas, including:

• Access and equity issues in the administration and delivery of justice system services to regional communities.
• Assessment of the social and economic impacts of existing and proposed, legislation, policies and programs on regional communities.
• Improving legal practice in the provision of legal services to regional communities.
• Delivery of law related education and training to regional industry, informing undergraduate law curriculum and professional development training for regional legal practitioners and others.

Current and Completed Research

• Improving access to justice for women and children survivors of family violence in the Geelong region.
  Funded by the Geelong Community Foundation, the project will provide a valuable evidence as to the effectiveness of current justice system services in responding to needs of survivors of domestic violence in the Geelong Region.
• Addressing the structural and ethical challenge of conflict of interest in rural and regional legal practice.
  Funded by the Victoria Law Foundation, The proposed project will examine the frequency and circumstances of conflict of interest and its impact on individual clients, referral services and legal service providers in regional Victoria.
• Legal Service Needs of Regional Small Business.
  Funded by the Legal Services Board Victoria - Completed
  
• Postcode Justice - Rural and Regional Disadvantage in the administration of the Law.
  Funded Victoria Law Foundation - Completed
• Law and Legal Compliance Training Needs of Primary Industry. Funded by the Telematic Trust and Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation - Completed.
• Rethinking Law Curriculum: developing strategies to prepare law graduates for practice in rural and regional Australia. Funded by the Australian Learning and Teaching Council. In collaboration with lead investigator: University of New England, Australian Centre for Agriculture and Law - Current.

Submissions

• Inquiry into Local Economic Development Initiatives in Victoria [306KB pdf]
• Response to the Victorian Government's Discussion Paper on Juvenile Diversion
  'Practical Lessons, Fair Consequences: Improving Diversion for Young People in Victoria' [206KB pdf]
• Inquiry into Marriage Equality Amendment Bill 2010 [198KB pdf]
• Victorian Parliamentary Law Reform Committee
  Inquiry into Access to and Interaction with the Justice System By People with an Intellectual Disability and Their Families and Carers [144KB pdf]
• A Submission to the Parliament of Victoria Rural and Regional Committee
  Inquiry into the Extent and Nature of Disadvantage and Inequity in Rural and Regional Victoria [264KB pdf]
• Proposed Variation to the Access Regime for the ATM System [196KB pdf]