President-elect Elizabeth Shearer notes updates to policy goals, international advocacy methods
According to Elizabeth Shearer, president-elect of the Law Council of Australia, the federal government’s updated strategy for the worldwide abolition of the death penalty confirms the nation’s strong objection to this form of penalty in all situations and for all individuals.
“The Law Council is pleased to see a number of its recommendations made as part of the 2024 Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Inquiry into Australia’s efforts to advocate for the worldwide abolition of the death penalty reflected in the updated Strategy,” she said in a media release.
Shearer noted that the revised strategy amends the Australian government’s international advocacy methods and policy goals.
“In particular, the updated Strategy now addresses international crime cooperation in its policy goals and as part of its whole-of-government approach,” she said.
In accordance with its death penalty policy statement, the Law Council plans to keep pushing for changes to hold Australia to its international obligations and its opposition to the death penalty throughout the entire sphere of government.
On the Law Council’s behalf, Shearer commended the Australian government’s commitments to:
In the media release, Shearer stressed “the continued need for strong, principled international advocacy and leadership by Australia, implemented consistently across government and in partnership with civil society and like-minded states.”
She acknowledged the progress made since the prior strategy’s establishment in 2018, including through the increase in the number of countries that are abolitionist in practice.
“In our region alone, we have seen the abolition of the death penalty in Papua New Guinea and the repeal of the mandatory death penalty in Malaysia,” Shearer said. “Retentionist jurisdictions such as Vietnam and Pakistan have reduced the number of crimes that attract the death penalty.”
However, the Law Council expressed concerns regarding:
“In some cases, formerly abolitionist jurisdictions have either proposed or implemented the re-introduction of capital punishment, despite the absence of persuasive evidence that the death penalty is an effective deterrent and the disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable members of society,” Shearer said in the Law Council’s media release.
On 23 October 2026, the Law Council expressed its support for the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security’s recommendations regarding the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission reforms.
On 2 October 2026, in a statement relating to lawyers acting in migration matters and the complexity of migration law, the Law Council warned against making suggestions of a systemic failure within the legal profession.
Enjoy this story? Read the latest Australian legal news on the main page!
