The Human Rights Law Centre has congratulated the South Australian parliamentary inquiry recommendation for a South Australian Human Rights Act.

The inquiry made the recommendation after the overwhelming majority of submissions and evidence called for a Human Rights Act. The inquiry follows last year’s Federal Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights recommending an Australian Human Rights Act in their inquiry into Australia’s human rights framework.

A Human Rights Act would mean the South Australian Government must consider people’s human rights when creating new laws and policies, and provide a powerful tool so people can take action and seek justice if their rights are violated.

Arif Hussein, Senior Lawyer at the Human Rights Law Centre said:  

“Human rights, fairness and equality should be at the heart of all government decision making, we welcome the recommendation for a South Australian Human Rights Act which would ensure human rights are protected for everyone in South Australia.

“We’ve already seen how human rights laws in Victoria, Queensland and the ACT have made a real difference to people’s lives – from overturning unfair evictions, safeguarding access to medical treatment, and stopping children from being locked up in cruel conditions. People in South Australia deserve these human rights protections too.

“We are proud to support the overwhelming call across South Australian civil society calling for a Human Rights Act. It’s time now for the Malinauskas Government and South Australian Parliament to move quickly and make a South Australian Human Rights Act a reality.

“South Australia has joined the national call for human rights protections to improve people’s lives. The next Australian Parliament should take the opportunity to make real human rights progress and enact an Australian Human Rights Act.”