There is much to admire in Tony Abbott’s recent speech on the right to freedom of expression given to the Institute of Public Affairs. He is right to affirm, for example, that freedom of speech is a cornerstone of democracy, echoing the words of the UN Human Rights Committee, which has described the rights to freedom of opinion and expression as “the foundation stone for every free and democratic society”.
Read MoreThe Asylum Seeker Resource Centre’s campaign co-ordinator, Pamela Curr, believes our collective respect for the sanctity of human life is undermined by policies which place lives at risk.
Read MoreThere is mounting evidence that Australia's close cooperation with Sri Lanka on the prevention of people smuggling and the interception of asylum seeker boats is compromising our approach to human rights in that country.
Read MoreCo-Chair of the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples. Les Malezer, looks at Australia’s continuing struggle to become a reconciled nation.
Read MoreJason Pobjoy and Katie O’Byrne examine the legal limbo faced by refugees subject to adverse ASIO assessments.
Read MoreA society free from domestic and family violence is possible, but it will take effort from the whole community to achieve. First, we need to reject the myth that family violence is a private problem that only exists within the four walls of the home.
Read MoreIn a long overdue move, Australia has moved a step closer towards independent monitoring, inspection and oversight of places of detention. A few weeks ago, the Commonwealth Attorney-General, Nicola Roxon, tabled a report in parliament outlining the national interest in Australia becoming a party to a major international treaty on detention monitoring, the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture.
Read More“There is a path that the Government can take to reassure its critics that it wants the Stronger Futures legislation to comply with human rights standards. Putting it up for review by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights would be a strong signal,” writes Matilda Bogner, UN Human Rights Office Regional Representative in the Pacific.
Read MoreIf the Australian Government was serious about human rights and the rule of law, it wouldn't treat the implementation of decisions of UN treaty bodies as optional, writes the HRLC’s Rachel Ball.
Read MoreThe new Foreign Minister, Senator Bob Carr, should make the promotion and protection of human rights a key aim of Australian foreign policy, writes HRLC Executive Director, Phil Lynch.
Read MoreVictoria Police is right not to rush the rollout of Tasers - stun guns that administer an electric shock of 50,000 volts. The tragic death of a man in Sydney at the weekend adds to the growing evidence from around the world that the safety claimed to be inherent in the use of Tasers is overstated: they can be lethal and they are frequently misused. In light of this, Victoria Police needs to ensure that the phased distribution of the devices is subject to rigorous review and evaluation. The case has not yet been made that use of them statewide is justified.
Read MoreThe Baillieu Government’s decision to retain and possibly strengthen the Victorian Charter of Human Rights is a victory for evidence-based policy, accountable government and a fair go for all Victorians. The Government today tabled a major statement on the future of the Charter following its review by a parliamentary committee last year.
Read MoreNext week, Victorians will learn a lot about their Government’s commitment to fairness, transparency and democratic accountability. We will also learn about the strength of the Premier’s leadership as Cabinet meets to determine the future of Victoria’s Charter of Human Rights.
Read MoreIt is imperative that all police-related deaths – and there are an average of 16 per year in Victoria alone – are investigated by a body that is fully independent of police, writes the HRLC's Anna Brown.
Read MoreThis 2012 report documents 101 case studies from the first five years of the operation of Victoria’s Charter of Human Rights. They show that the Charter has delivered benefits including greater government accountability, more responsive public services, and a better deal for some of Victoria’s most vulnerable groups, such as people with disability, people with mental illness and people experiencing homelessness.
Read MoreAn unprincipled and myopic approach to human rights will fail in West Papua just as it did in East Timor, writes the HRLC's Tom Clarke, Australia needs a new approach, underpinned by a principled and persistent commitment to human rights, to addressing conflicts in our region.
Read MoreKevin Rudd needs to show the same attention to human rights issues in Australia’s region as he did in Libya, writes Human Rights Watch’s Elaine Pearson, and Sri Lanka would be the perfect place to start.
Read MoreThe HRLC’s Phil Lynch looks at how principled leadership and energetic action in key priority areas will help to realise the vision of a nation which respects and protects human rights.
Read MoreWhen it comes to rebuilding Afghanistan Save the Children’s Rebecca Barber urges the benchmark to be set higher than merely denying a safe haven for terrorists.
Read MoreIt's time for Australia to take a principled and proactive stand on human rights in Asia and the Pacific, writes the HRLC's Tom Clarke. Starting with West Papua. Today.
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