As a member of the Australian OPCAT network, I’m sharing this information today. This statement is for individuals with expertise in welfare, law, human rights (particularly First Nations and disability justice), family violence and related fields to show their support. There are separate sector-based joint statements currently in the works for legal advocacy organisations and other civil society groups, still to be circulated. 

“Dear OPCAT Network,

Please see the following statement that academics and legal experts are invited to sign on to, regarding a terrible amendment that will be before the Senate when it sits again on the 24th: https://apcentre.formstack.com/forms/expert_statement_schedule5

You might have already seen that it’s an amendment to the Social Security Act giving the Home Affairs minister the ability to cancel a person’s welfare payment upon the request of a ‘senior police officer’ if there’s a warrant out for the person’s arrest. The schedule (sched 5) was slipped quietly into an unrelated social security bill after it had been through all the Committee processes. 

Obviously this would be a disaster as a general erosion of basic human rights, and especially a disaster for women fleeing violence who are misidentified as perpetrators, First Nations people and disabled people.

The Law Council has also issued a statement raising concerns: https://lawcouncil.au/media/media-releases/powers-to-strip-social-security-demand-scrutiny

a statement prepared for academics and legal experts opposing the involvement of police and ministers in social security decisions, and calling on the government to remove Schedule 5 from the Social Security Admin (Technical Changes No.2) Bill 2025. 

We would be grateful if you can circulate this statement among any relevant academic or legal experts in your network and ask people to add their name to it. The statement can be found here: https://bit.ly/ExpertStatementSchedule5

The aim is to reach 100 signatures within a week (by 20 November) – a huge goal!

If possible, we are also hoping to secure some additional “recognisable” names. If you know anyone who might fit this description it would be amazing if you could seek their support. 

If you want to share any background information, you may find the following links helpful: 

• Comments from NATSILS and Wirringa Baiya Aboriginal Womens Legal Service plus background information about the issue: https://apcentre.substack.com/p/growing-calls-for-labor-to-abandon 
• Full list of organisations who have publicly called for Schedule 5 to be removed: https://apcentre.substack.com/p/organisations-calling-for-labor-to 
• Statement from the Law Council of Australia: https://lawcouncil.au/media/media-releases/powers-to-strip-social-security-demand-scrutiny 
• Article from the National Indigenous Times (they’ve done the best news report I’ve seen so far):https://nit.com.au/03-11-2025/21067/police-powers-amendment-in-welfare-bill-an-affront-to-presumption-of-innocence