Advancing International Justice in Australia
Structural and institutional reform
ABC Four Corners, Killing Field
Our theory of change recognised that structural and institutional reform in Australia’s investigative and prosecutorial capacity was necessary to advance and open up avenues for justice to survivor communities around the world. Australia lacks the necessary institutional mechanism to investigate atrocity crimes. The Australian Federal Police, being the agency assigned to investigate and refer for prosecutions, allegations which amount to torture, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, is under-resourced, under-staffed and lacks the specialist skills required to investigate these crimes. Past referrals were not taken seriously or investigated with rigour. In addition, there have been only limited allegations, and investigations and minimal international coordination of strategy. The Australian Centre for International Justice, also represents the first civil society push, necessary to encourage governments and authorities in Australia to act.
The Australian Centre for International Justice has been leading in advocating for broad structural and institutional reform necessary to conduct effective, thorough, independent and genuine investigations and prosecutions of the international crimes offences in the Commonwealth Criminal Code.
We recommend the establishment of a permanent specialist investigations unit with expert and trained investigators and dedicated resources tasked with investigating international crimes. The Australian Centre for International Justice is also pushing for Australia to develop an international crimes program to join global multilateral efforts to end the impunity enjoyed by perpetrators of these crimes and provide avenues to victims survivors in their struggle to bring perpetrators to justice. We are also advocating for gender-informed protocol to ensure that Australian authorities employ a gendered analysis and approach at all stages of its investigations and prosecutions.
We know from our work in representing victim survivors that a specialist unit and dedicated resourcing and political will to end impunity, is the missing piece in the puzzle required to engage Australian authorities to undertake investigations and prosecutions into atrocity crimes. This policy objective was the subject of our first policy submission, and we have continued to lead, and collaborate with others in the sector, to push for this necessary change. Our push has been advanced in the context of strategic communications and public engagement, including through media comments and numerous opinion pieces.
Office of the Special Investigator
In November 2020, our persistent efforts and contribution to the debate achieved a significant policy advance and a major breakthrough with the announcement from the Australian Government to establish a new body, the Office of the Special Investigator (OSI) to conduct investigations and refer briefs for prosecution, in respect of allegations of special forces crimes in Afghanistan. This effort has been recognised by experts from leading human rights organisations in the world, including from the ECCHR and the CCR.
The Australian Centre for International Justice was a leading voice in calling for this independent investigations unit to be established, and worked to contextualise the need for such a unit within concerted efforts globally on global atrocity crimes investigative mechanisms. We will continue to advocate for a permanent investigations unit to be a feature of Australia’s justice landscape.
Latest on Advancing International Justice in Australia
Submission: Reform required to end corporate impunity
The Australian Centre for International Justice (ACIJ) has contributed to a submission with the Human Rights Law Centre (HRLC) to the Australian Law Reform Commission’s Inquiry into Australia’s corporate criminal responsibility regime. In order to strengthen...
Media Release: Australia strongly supports international justice but action is required
The Australian Government has spoken in support of international justice and accountability at the 18th Assembly of States Parties (ASP) to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands. This week, Australia delivered a strong...
Media Release: Accountability for Australian war crimes in Afghanistan
Investigative reporting from The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and 60 Minutes has revealed that the Australian Federal Police have recently visited Afghanistan to collect evidence and witness testimony into numerous incidents alleging war crimes by Australian defence...
Media Release: Australia must prosecute foreign fighters
As the government introduced further measures to prevent Australian foreign fighters returning to Australia this week with the passage of the Temporary Exclusion Orders Bill, the Australian Centre for International Justice (ACIJ) recommends that the Citizenship...
Statement on International Justice Day 2019
On the occasion of International Justice Day, the 21st anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute creating the International Criminal Court, the Australian Centre for International Justice (ACIJ) is committed to helping ensure Australia defends, supports and...
Submission: A specialist investigations unit for Australia
Our brief Pre-Budget Submission to the Treasury provides a broad overview of Australia's need to undertake investigations and prosecutions of international crimes. We recommend Australia establish a dedicated and specialist investigations unit to investigate...
Support our Work
The Australian Centre for International Justice fights to hold accountable those responsible for the most serious international crimes. It continues to be an enormous challenge.
We work with survivors of torture, sexual violence, genocide and war to research and develop strategies to fight for justice.
We are Australia’s first specialist legal centre providing strategic advice and representation to people seeking justice and accountability.
We take action against the impunity of those responsible for committing atrocity crimes. We all benefit by supporting communities in Australia and around the world access justice.
We need your support to fight for justice.
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Copyright©ACIJ. All Rights Reserved.
ABN: 55 630 673 308
Privacy Policy | Refunds Policy | Image Credits | Terms & Conditions | Acknowledgement of Country
Site by Squeeze Creative