Brennan Justice Talk 2024 #1 – Review of the Special Commission of Inquiry into LGBTIQ Hate Crimes

In December 2023 the Special Commission of Inquiry into LGBTIQ Hate Crimes presented its final report to the NSW Government. This landmark Inquiry was established to examine unsolved deaths that were suspected to have been motivated by gay hate between 1970 and 2010. This Special Commission was established following a number of earlier processes that were for a variety of reasons ineffective in uncovering what had taken place, or not taken place, in relation to these unsolved deaths. Our guest speaker, Nicolas Stewart, spent many years advocating for these deaths to be revisited and to have a process in which it would be possible to more openly discuss and investigate the systemic failures in policing that those unsolved deaths demonstrated. The final report made 19 recommendations including that new inquests be held into the deaths of several men whose cases were investigated as part of the Special Commission’s work. The work of the Special Commission was ground-breaking and there is still much to do in this area, as Justice Sackar (Commissioner) stated in the report it is important to recognise that ‘Many members of the LGBTIQ community continue to live with enduring trauma of violence, prejudice and bigotry’ and that this investigation of historical deaths continues to shape and inform current experiences.

In this presentation Nicholas Stewart will discuss the background to the Special Commission, its work and findings. In Nicholas’s work gathering cases, evidence and other documentation that was submitted to the Commission, a small number of UTS Law students volunteered to assist him. This presentation will also showcase the work of those students and will demonstrate how a legal education at UTS prepares students to not only practise law, but to effect social change.

About our guest speaker Nicholas Stewart

Nicholas Stewart is a graduate of UTS: Law, and a UTS Friend of Distinction. He is a partner of the law firm Dowson Turco Lawyers and Vice President of Australian Lawyers for Human Rights. His work was key in bringing about the landmark judicial inquiry into historical LGBT murders in NSW that he will be discussing during this event. Nicholas has long been a keen supporter of the Brennan Justice and Leadership Program providing past presentations and also supporting students who have volunteered with his law firm as part of their Leadership Through Service component. These students worked with Nicholas on pulling together evidence and writing submissions and other materials for this and previous gay hate inquiries conducted in NSW. Nicholas has been recognised in his work through multiple awards:, the 2023 ACON President’s Medal, the 2022 NSW Law Society President’s Medal, and the 2018 UTS Community Alumni Award.

• This Justice Talks will take place on Zoom (register to receive the link on the day through CareerHub)
• UTS Current Law Students must register on CareerHub to receive Brennan ROJ Points. The Brennan Team will apply points internally upon attending the event
• Should you have any questions for the speaker pre-event please email us.