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Chandi Bates
Media and Communications Manager

Whistleblowing amendments a welcome step towards comprehensive reform
Transparency International Australia, the Human Rights Law Centre and Griffith University’s Centre for Governance & Public Policy welcomed the release of initial amendments to Australia’s federal public sector whistleblowing law, but called for a more comprehensive approach to whistleblower protection in 2023.
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Code of conduct recommended for Members of Parliament and staff: Parliament must act
The Human Rights Law Centre welcomes recommendations by a Parliamentary committee that Members of Parliament, their staff and Commonwealth Parliamentary Workplaces more broadly adopt behaviour standards and codes which state that bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, assault and discrimination will not be tolerated, condoned, or ignored.
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New report outlines roadmap for whistleblower protection reform
The Australian parliament must reform public and private sector whistleblowing law and establish a whistleblower protection authority, according to a report published on Wednesday by Griffith University, the Human Rights Law Centre and Transparency International Australia.
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Calls for new legal obligation on companies to prevent modern slavery

Minister for Immigration must commit to ending a decade of refugee family separation
The Human Rights Law Centre calls on the Minister for Immigration to act to end a decade of intentional family separation
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New report shows companies failing to act on modern slavery
A coalition of human rights organisations and academics are calling on the Federal Government to overhaul Australia's modern slavery laws after a major investigation has found, three years into the Act’s operation, companies are still failing to identify obvious modern slavery risks in their supply chains or take action to address them.
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Australia set to be questioned by United Nations anti-torture watchdog this week
This week, the Australian Government is set to be questioned by the United Nations anti-torture watchdog on its compliance with the UN’s anti-torture treaty - the Convention Against Torture. Change the Record, the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services and the Human Rights Law Centre have briefed the Committee overseeing Australia’s compliance with the anti-torture treaty, and call on the Albanese Government to end human rights abuses behind bars ahead of the country’s report being considered this week.
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Ben Kiely steps into the role of Chair of the Board at the Human Rights Law Centre
We’re very pleased to announce that Ben Kiely has accepted the role of Chair of the Board at the Human Rights Law Centre. Ben is taking over from Robynne Quiggin who is stepping away from the role due to increased commitments following her promotion to Interim Pro-Vice Chancellor Indigenous Leadership and Engagement at the University of Technology Sydney.
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New research shows Australia’s offshore detention policies increase modern slavery risks
A new report by the Melbourne Social Equity Institute and Human Rights Law Centre, Labour in Limbo: Bridging Visa E holders and Modern Slavery Risk in Australia, casts a new light on the continued suffering of people who sought safety in Australia by boat.
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A code of conduct for politicians must cover all forms of discrimination
The Human Rights Law Centre will today appear before the Joint Select Committee on Parliamentary Standards (Committee), to give evidence for reforms that would ensure that politicians and all people working in, or visiting, the Commonwealth Parliament fall under a code of conduct. The code should cover not just gender-based bullying, harassment and assault, but other forms of discrimination, including racism, ableism and transphobia.
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Statement: Prosecution of David McBride
The Human Rights Law Centre wishes to correct a statement issued on 27 October 2022, ‘McBride prosecution proceeding to trial after Attorney-General intervention undermines whistleblowing defence’.
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McBride prosecution proceeding to trial after government intervention undermines whistleblowing defence
The Human Rights Law Centre has condemned the ongoing injustice in the prosecution of David McBride, who blew the whistle on allegations of Australian war crimes in Afghanistan.
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