Joint submission by Children and Young people with Disability Australia, the Human Rights Law Centre and People With Disability Australia

A joint submission by Children and Young people with Disability Australia, the Human Rights Law Centre and People With Disability Australia (PWDA) has outlined the importance of an Australian Charter of Human Rights for people with a disability and the need for human rights to be at the heart of government laws, policies and services. 

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Andrews government can end the mass-imprisonment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: Yoorrook hearings

The Human Rights Law Centre calls on the Andrews government to fast track critical reforms that would immediately reduce the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experiencing injustice at the hands of the criminal legal system, in evidence to be heard by the Yoorrook Justice Commission. 

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Submission to Review of Australia's Modern Slavery Act 2018

In our submission to the statutory review of the Modern Slavery Act 2018 (Cth), Human Rights Law Centre proposes reforms to hold companies accountable for preventing modern slavery in their operations and supply chains and require them to undertake due diligence to identify and address modern slavery risks.

The Human Rights Law Centre is calling on the Australian Government urgently act to strengthen the legislation.

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Submission to the United Nations Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture - Australia

In this joint submission by the Human Rights Law Centre, Change The Record and the NATSILS to the United Nations Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture, we highlight Jurisdictions where little or no work establishing an OPCAT-compliant oversight mechanism for places of detention has been established; systemic concerns within and across jurisdictions; and facilities of particular concern where human rights abuses appear to be systemic, chronic and escalating.

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Submission to the Joint Select Committee on Parliamentary Standards

This joint parliamentary committee was initiated on the recommendation of Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins in her Set the Standard report, which followed serious allegations of gender-based violence taking place inside Parliament. It follows that a significant focus of this review should be on preventing gender-based violence. However, this is not the only issue that needs to be addressed in order to create a Commonwealth Parliament that will rebuild public trust in our political system.

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Submission on the Tasmanian OPCAT Implementation Bill 2021

The Change the Record coalition, the Human Rights Law Centre and the Tasmanian Aboriginal Legal Service welcome the decision of the Tasmanian Government to establish the Tasmanian National Preventive Mechanism under standalone legislation.

In this submission we set out a number of ongoing concerns however with provisions in the draft Bill in respect of the NPM’s operational independence, and suggest additional amendments aimed at ensuring the NPM is OPCAT compliant and can effectively fulfil its functions.

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