Tasmania with other mainland jurisdictions has endorsed a five-year plan with intention to strengthen criminal justice responses to sexual assault.
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The plan, a nationally consistent approach to laws around coercive control, and sexual harassment in the workplace were items up for discussion at a meeting of Attorneys-General in Melbourne on Friday.
A national review on sexual assault legislation will consider definitions on consent and broader definitions in relation to sexual assault and child sexual abuse.
Along with the need to improve responses to sexual assault, a national approach to coercive control was discussed on Friday.
Coercive control is considered to be a form of domestic violence and is defined as behaviour whereby a perpetrator isolates a victim from family and friends and limits their independence, such as restricting to finance.
The behaviour has been a criminal offence in Tasmania since 2004.
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NSW has a bill before its parliament which would see anyone convicted of coercive control face up to seven years in jail.
Voluntary assisted dying was discussed by ministers at the meeting, particularly the interaction between state and Commonwealth laws.
A meeting communique noted that the Australian Government was closely considering the issue of health practitioners being at risk of prosecution.
It was agreed this matter would be further considered at the next meeting.
Voluntary assisted dying laws were passed in Tasmania last year and it is anticipated the laws will be implemented in October.
An increase to the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 14 years was discussed once again by Attorneys-General, with particular attention paid towards eliminating the overrepresentation of Aboriginal children in the criminal justice system. Tasmania, along with the ACT and Northern Territory, have committed to raising the minimum age of criminal responsibility.
Other states have supported the development of proposals to raise the age.
Childrens Minister Roger Jaensch in June said raising the age would be part of a planned reform of the youth justice system in Tasmania.
"We know that detention does not support rehabilitation or reduce the likelihood of re-offending for younger children," he said.
"Early exposure to a detention environment can also further traumatise young people, expose them to problem behaviours of older detainees and increase criminal networks."
Nationally consistent defamation laws were discussed on Friday.
Defamation laws in Tasmania were updated this year and introduced a single publication rule that placed a one-year limitation period for defamation actions in relation to online publication.
A new defence in the act was introduced in respect to publication of defamatory matter about issues of public interest and a defence in respect to peer-reviewed matters public in academic or scientific journals.
Attorneys-General on Friday agreed to consider a nationally consistent scheme for access to digital records upon death or loss of decision-making capacity.
Draft proposals will be developed and consulted upon through this year with recommendations for uniform legislation to be arrived at by the end of the year.
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