Background: In March 2024, I made an application to submit an amicus brief in the case of Roxanne Tickle versus Giggle for Girls Pty Ltd & Anor (NSD1148/22). I was not granted leave to intervene by the Federal Court of Australia on grounds that the submission was made late. I was asked instead to provide input to the Australian Human Rights Commission, which is intervening in this case, on the meaning of the word “woman” in the Convention on theElimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and Girls (CEDAW) by the 18th of March, which I have done. I conveyed my expectation that given my application, the Australian Human Rights Commissioner would bring my submission to the attention of the Australian Federal Court and other parties. At the time of sending my submission to the Commissioner, I had copied the respondents’ solicitor on the communication, acknowledging their assistance to date in navigating the Australian federal legal system up to that point.. The below position maintains the core message of the input sent to the Commissioner, while expanding some of the supporting arguments.
4 April 2024