New reporting system launched to address Indigenous deaths in custody

Australians have died in custody since 1991.

Defence Minister pledges to hold officers accountable for war crimes

Canberra, June 21 (IANS) The Australian government on Wednesday launched a real-time reporting system to hold criminal justice systems accountable for Indigenous deaths in custody.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus and Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney announced the launch earlier in the day, reports Xinhua news agency.

According to a report published by the Productivity Commission earlier in June, there were 22 deaths in police custody in 202122.

More than 500 Indigenous

The new system will aggregate information on all deaths in police, prison and youth detention nationally, including custody type, Indigenous status and the sex and age of the deceased.

The measure is part of the government's historic A$99 million First Nations Justice Package announced in its 2022-23 Budget, to reduce the overrepresentation of First Nations people in the criminal justice system.

"National real-time reporting of deaths in custody enables greater public transparency of deaths in custody and accountability of all governments for their criminal justice systems," Dreyfus said. "The dashboard will record data for every death in custody, not just Indigenous deaths.

Consistent with the central finding of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody and the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, the government is committed to reducing the over-incarceration of First Nations people."

Minister Burney said that "every death in custody is a heartbreaking tragedy for families and communities and for far too long, there has been a lack of trusted information available when a death in custody occurs".

"Real-time data on deaths in prisons, police custody and youth detention centres will provide greater transparency and accountability for all governments."Having more timely data is a key step towards betterinformed early intervention and prevention strategies to reduce First Nations deaths in custody and improve justice outcomes,"

Canberra, June 21 (IANS) it had found credible evidence that Australian special force soldiers murdered 39 civilians and prisoners in the country between 2005 and 2016.

Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles on Wednesday vowed that military commanders will be held accountable for war crimes in Afghanistan. Marles had recently said the government would hold Australian Defense Force (ADF) top brass who oversaw the war in Afghanistan responsible for the unlawful killings allegedly committed by the troops, reports Xinhua news agency.

One soldier has been charged by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) with the war crime of murder, with investigations into others ongoing.

Lambie called on the government to hold commanders accountable for the actions of their subordinates.

She said there is "a culture of cover-up" at the highest levels of the ADF.

In response, Marles said the government would "make this right".

"The Chief of the Defense Force has been pursuing a process in respect of command accountability, consistent with the recommendations of the Brereton Report," he said.

Jindal School of Art & Architecture offers unique dual degree Architecture Masters with University of Adelaide

Sonipat,

June 23 (IANS)

The Jindal School of Art & Architecture (JSAA) at O.P. Jindal Global University is proud to announce the unique Dual Degree Architecture Masters with the University of Adelaide (UoA).

Under the Jindal-Adelaide Architecture Pathway (JAAP), students will be able to receive a Bachelor of Arts (hons.) Built Environment Studies from JGU, the Bachelor of Architectural Design from the University of Adelaide and a Master of Architecture from the University of Adelaide within a total period of 6 Years (3+1+2).

The JSAA students undertaking Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Built Environment Studies at O.P. Jindal Global University will be able to transfer to the Bachelor of Architectural Design at the UoA after three years at JGU completing another one year at UoA.

The Founding Vice Chancellor of O.P. Jindal Global University, Prof. (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar said, "I congratulate the Dean and the faculty members of the Jindal School of Art and Architecture (JSAA) and The School of Architecture at the University of Adelaide for developing this unique programme.

"The Jindal Adelaide Architecture pathway is the first and only architecture program in India that is designed to graduate global architects who will be eligible for licensure across Australia, New Zealand, India and many other countries through reciprocal arrangements. As part of this path breaking collaboration for creating a unique dual degree programme for our students at JSAA, the University of Adelaide and JGU are committed to work together on promoting global experiences for our students in the areas of Architecture and Design."

Some of the key elements of the JAAP programme include:

1. Only Architecture programme in India that will produce architects eligible for registration across India, Australia, New Zealand and other commonwealth countries (through reciprocal agreements)

2. Graduating students eligible for minimum three-year post study work visa in Australia

3. Global Curriculum which blends architectural education and expertise across India and Australia

4. Study in two top ranking universities with highly accomplished global faculty; get to meet top architects and designers across India, Australia and New Zealand

5. Be a part of the Deloitte Academy of Studies at the University of Adelaide

6. Access state of the art facilities in BIM, 3D modelling, Motion Capture and Rapid Prototyping across JGU and UoA Prof. (Dr.) Jaideep Chatterjee, Dean-JSAA said, "The JindalAdelaide Architecture pathway is an absolute game changer for the discipline of architecture in India today. For the first time ever, this remarkable programme brings together two highly sought undergraduate architecture degrees and a professional Master of Architecture degree under the same roof. This combination will finally allow students from India to graduate and directly be a part of the global workforce of architects from which they had been long excluded.

"As a premier institution, the Jindal School of Art & Architecture (JSAA), OPJGU is extremely glad to be partnering with the University of Adelaide, a top university in Australia to bring this unique program to aspiring architects in India."

Dr. Jessica Gallagher, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (External Engagement), University of Adelaide welcomed the partnership and said, "It is with great enthusiasm that we launch this new agreement with OP Jindal Global University. We look forward to continuing to build upon this relationship and welcoming their students to Adelaide in the future. Indian students greatly contribute to the cultural richness of our University campuses and Australian society more broadly."

His commitment came a day after after Senator Jacqui Lambie, a former Australian army member, on Tuesday revealed she has referred ADF officers to the International Criminal Court for investigation over war crimes.

A landmark inquiry into allegations of war crimes in Afghanistan in 2020 revealed that

Before Kabul's fall to the Taliban in August 2021, Australia maintained an operation of around 400 soldiers in Afghanistan.

NSW to protect retail workers with tougher penalties for assaults

while 11-year imprisonment is applicable if physical injury is involved.

Sydney, June 21 (IANS) The government of Australia New South Wales (NSW) state on Wednesday announced that it will introduce a new bill to Parliament to impose tougher penalties on those who assault retail workers. According to the NSW government, the bill will introduce three offences to the state's Crime Act, reports Xinhua news agency.

The reforms make it an offence to assault, throw a missile at, stalk, harass or intimidate a retail worker in the course of the worker's duty, even if no actual bodily harm is caused to the worker, with a maximum penalty of 4 years' imprisonment; assault a retail worker in the course of the worker's duty and cause actual bodily harm to the worker, with a maximum penalty of 6 years' imprisonment; and wound or cause grievous bodily harm to a retail worker in the course of the worker's duty, being reckless as to causing actual bodily harm to the worker or another person, with a maximum penalty of 11 years' imprisonment.

Under the new bill, physical and verbal attacks on a retail worker could lead to a maximum penalty of four years' imprisonment,

The state government cited a survey from the McKell Institute, which showed that a staggering 85 percent of retail workers in Australia have been abused or assaulted at work.

"The new offences will carry more severe penalties than general assault provisions, and send a strong message that this behaviour is unacceptable," said NSW Attorney General Michael Daley.

Australian Retailers Association (ARA), the country's peak retail body, welcomed NSW's new legislation, as it is in response to the growing prevalence of customer aggression and assaults.

ARA CEO Paul Zahra praised the NSW Government's commitment to protecting retail workers and consulting with industry via the ARA on the development of the initiative.

"We've seen a frightening escalation in retail crime, where it is now becoming a matter of life-or-death for workers simply trying to do their job," Zahra said.

"It is shocking that in recent months in different locations across the country, we've seen several retail workers stabbed -in addition to the broader issue of staff being harassed, intimidated, and physically assaulted.