ALA National Conference Heads to Cairns and Focuses on Legal Reforms

The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has announced that its annual National Conference will be held in tropical Cairns from 21 to 23 October. The upcoming gathering brings together the national association of lawyers, academics, and other professionals to focus on a wide range of legal reforms and policy developments across Australia.

National Conference and Key Legal Reform Focuses

Ahead of the event in Cairns, the not-for-profit organization has outlined several key legislative and policy priorities. The agenda highlights the Independent Review of Queensland’s Human Rights Act 2019, the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No. 1) Bill 2024 (Cth), and the impact of the regulatory framework for cannabis in New South Wales.

Additional topics featured in the organization’s work include the West Daly Peace Project set up by the NIAA and the NT attorney-general’s dept in 2024, involuntary treatment under Australian Mental Health Acts, nervous shock claims, mental health claims, and the legal challenges surrounding suicide in inpatient psychiatry, alongside medical AI regulation and independent testing.

State Elections and Compensation Scheme Submissions

The ALA has released its Call-to-Parties ahead of the November 2026 Victorian State Election, calling on political parties and candidates to commit to protecting access to justice and strengthening the rights of injured and vulnerable Victorians. According to the organization, the passage of the Workplace Legislation Amendment Act 2026 introduced modifications to Victoria’s transport accident and workplace injury compensation laws that will enhance legal access for injured individuals and their families.

Regarding Western Australia, the ALA pressed Parliament to prioritize the best interests of abuse victim survivors by swiftly advancing the Civil Liability Amendment (Child Sexual Abuse Actions) Bill 2025 without modifications. In the ACT, the association submitted a call for significant reforms to improve access, fairness, and transparency for people injured on ACT roads during the six-year review of the ACT Motor Accident Injuries (MAI) Scheme.

Furthermore, Hugh Powell, Principal and Sunshine Coast Leader at Travis Schultz & Partners, has detailed how introducing a new diagnosis of Prolonged Grief Disorder may offer a compensation pathway for bereaved claimants. Meanwhile, Greg Barns SC criticized soaring imprisonment rates, punitive youth justice policies, and the rejection of expert advice for revealing a system failing Indigenous communities while strengthening the case for urgent Commonwealth intervention in justice.