Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, human rights, social services, health, youth, religious and legal advocates have expressed deep concerns in an open letter about the mistreatment of children in the Victoria’s youth prisons.

The Human Rights Law Centre has called for an overhaul of the Public Interest Disclosure Act, the federal law protecting public servant whistleblowers, and a whistleblower protection authority to improve transparency and accountability in Australia’s democracy, in a submission to the Attorney-General’s Department. 

The ACT Court of Appeal has published previously secret judgments to mark the end of the Bernard Collaery and Witness K saga, underscoring the need for the Albanese Government to implement transparency and whistleblowing reforms. 

The COVID-19 pandemic laid bare the missing human rights considerations in federal government decisions and policies, the Human Rights Law Centre today told the Federal Government COVID-19 inquiry on behalf of the Charter of Rights campaign, a coalition made up of over 90 organisations. 

The United Nations torture prevention body has formally terminated its visit to Australia after being forced to leave the country early in October following the prevention of full access to prisons and mental health facilities in New South Wales and Queensland.

The Human Rights Law Centre welcomed the launch of an inquiry by the South Australian Parliament into whether the state should join Victoria, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory by enacting a Human Rights Act or Charter. 

Tasmania is set to become the first Australian jurisdiction to ensure no child under 14 years old will grow up in a jail cell, in an announcement welcomed by the National Raise the Age campaign, a coalition of more than 130 organisations. 

The Human Rights Law Centre and Asylum Seeker Resource Centre have condemned the Albanese Government’s proposed introduction of a preventive detention regime that would create a parallel legal system allowing migrants and refugees to be imprisoned on the basis of what they might do in the future.  

The Human Rights Law Centre is calling for the ACT Government to strengthen its proposal to add the right to a healthy environment to the Human Rights Act 2004.

The Human Rights Law Centre has welcomed recommendations by an independent review into the law that enabled the prosecutions of Witness J, Witness K and Bernard Collaery to be shrouded in secrecy, and called on the Attorney-General to urgently implement the review's findings.

Ned Kelly Emeralds, an Iranian man who has been detained for over a decade while seeking asylum, has won his challenge against his ongoing detention. Ned’s case is the first to be heard since the High Court recently ruled that indefinite detention was unlawful.   

A joint statement signed by over 100 health, legal, social, community services providers, advocates and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Organisations today reiterated calls for Attorneys-General to stop jailing 10 year old children and raise the age of criminal responsibility to at least 14 years old, with no exceptions.