Communities living with the ongoing devastation from Rio Tinto’s former Panguna mine in Bougainville are calling on the company to commit to funding remediation and addressing public safety risks, after a major independent investigation funded by the company confirmed life-threatening, ongoing social, environmental and human rights impacts from the mine.
Read MoreCommunities living with the ongoing devastation from Rio Tinto’s former Panguna mine in Bougainville are calling on the company to commit to funding remediation and long-term solutions, after the initial results of a major independent environmental and human rights impact assessment of the mine undertaken by Tetra Tech Coffey were presented back to communities.
Read MoreThe ACT Parliament’s passage of legislation enshrining the right to a healthy environment is a watershed moment in human rights and environmental law in Australia, according to the Environmental Defenders Office (EDO) and the Human Rights Law Centre.
Read MoreWith the rising influence of fossil fuel industries over Australian politics, the Human Rights Law Centre has launched the Climate and Environmental Whistleblowing Information Guide, a practical resource to support any person to raise concerns about climate and environmental wrongdoing in Australia.
Read MoreThe Human Rights Law Centre has urged the Albanese Government to take decisive action to protect current and future children from the existential impacts of the climate crisis after a Labor-dominated Senate Committee failed to listen to the voices of children, climate scientists and health experts calling for a legislated duty of care.
Read MoreCommunities affected by pollution from Rio Tinto’s former Panguna mine on Bougainville, represented by the Human Rights Law Centre are calling for the company to commit to funding long-term solutions so people can live safely on their land again.
Read MoreA legislated duty of care to current and future Australian children would positively accelerate the Australian Government’s action to tackle climate change and create a fairer and more sustainable future, the Human Rights Law Centre will tell a Senate committee in evidence today.
Read MoreThe 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.
Read MoreA legislated duty of care to current and future Australian children would positively accelerate the Australian Government’s action to tackle climate change and create a fairer and more sustainable future, said the Human Rights Law Centre.
Read MoreThe Human Rights Law Centre applauds the ACT Government for introducing legislation to enshrine the ‘right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment’ into the Human Rights Act 2004. If passed, the Barr Government will be the first government in Australia to recognise the standalone right to a healthy environment in law.
Read MoreLeaders in communities impacted by Rio Tinto’s former Panguna mine are growing increasingly concerned about the dangerous and volatile situation they are living in. In particular, recent heavy rainfall has seen rivers choked with mine tailings waste flood, swamping several communities.
Read MoreA historic independent environmental and human rights legacy impact assessment of Rio Tinto’s former Panguna mine will begin in Bougainville this week.
Read MoreThe Human Rights Law Centre is urging the ACT government to lead the nation and introduce the ‘right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment’ into the Human Rights Act 2004.
Read MoreEnvironmental Justice Australia and the Human Rights Law Centre are urging the Andrews government to withdraw a draconian proposed new law that would criminalise peaceful protest.
Read MoreAs Rio Tinto shareholders gather in London this week for the company’s AGM, over in Bougainville, the initial steps on a comprehensive environmental and human rights assessment of the company’s former Panguna mine have commenced.
Read MoreThe passing of the Perrottet government’s new anti-protest law will undermine the ability of everyone in NSW to exercise their freedom to protest, a coalition of environmental, social justice and human rights groups has warned.
Read MoreA coalition of environmental, social justice and human rights groups is urging the Perrottet government to halt its attempts to rush through a draconian anti-protest law, which could see peaceful community protesters jailed for up to two years.
Read MoreA damning new report details how the fossil fuels, tobacco and gambling industries use their wealth to manipulate Australia’s democratic processes to put their profits ahead of the wellbeing of Australians.
Read MoreMajor new research has identified a clear and alarming trend that sees climate defenders increasingly being targeted and suppressed by Australian governments.
Read MoreBougainville community leader and MP Theonila Roka Matbob has received the Gwynne Skinner Human Rights Award in recognition of her outstanding work to hold mining giant Rio Tinto to account for the legacy of environmental devastation caused by its former Panguna mine.
Read MoreRio Tinto has today publicly committed to fund an independent environmental and human rights impact assessment of its former Panguna mine in Bougainville in response to a human rights complaint filed by Bougainville communities.
Read MoreTwenty human rights, environment and health organisations are calling for both major parties to support law reform that would hold politicians to a higher standard of integrity and reduce the distorting influence big industries have in Australian politics.
Read MoreThe Human Rights Law Centre has today welcomed an interim Senate report condemning Rio Tinto’s destruction of a 46,000 year-old Aboriginal site at Juukan Gorge in WA and recommending a suite of measures to improve protection of other significant sites across Australia.
Read MoreToday 156 Bougainville community members have filed a complaint with the Australian Government against Rio Tinto for environmental and human rights violations caused by its former mine on Bougainville in Papua New Guinea.
Read MoreWe are proud to join leading human rights and corporate accountability organisations from around the world calling on governments, business and investors to ensure responsible business conduct and accountability during the COVID-19 crisis.
Read MoreProtest rights in Australia should be strengthened, not weakened the Human Rights Law Centre said in response to the Prime Minister’s announcement today that he will look to outlaw environmental campaigns targeting businesses.
Read MoreThis Friday 20 September, the Human Rights Law Centre team will take part in the Climate Strikes being led by incredible young advocates around the world who are stepping up to reclaim our future. We strongly encourage everyone who is able to join us on Friday and be a part of this inspiring movement.
Read MoreLaunched today at NSW Parliament House, Say it loud: Protecting Protest in Australia, criticises recent attempts by governments to undermine protest rights and outlines ten principles to better protect our rights.
Read MoreThe Australian Government should create an environment that encourages all not-for-profit groups to speak freely and contribute to public debate the Human Rights Law Centre today told the Department of the Treasury which is conducting an inquiry into potential reforms to the Deductible Gift Recipient tax arrangements.
Read MoreHuman rights lawyers have raised concerns that a parliamentary committee has sought to silence organisations that advocate to protect the environment.
Read MoreThree UN human rights experts urged the Western Australian parliament not to adopt a proposed law that would criminalise peaceful protests and silence environmentalists and human rights defenders.
Read MoreThe Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade has recommended greater transparency, accountability and focus on human rights and environmental consequences when the statutory Export Finance and Insurance Corporation (EFIC) makes decisions to finance local and international projects involving Australian companies.
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