People calling out racism have usually faced more repercussions than those spreading fear, hatred and division

Whistleblowers are critical to addressing the climate and biodiversity crises.

Migration restrictions always serve dual purposes: to exclude and repel some, while ensuring the unequal inclusion of the vast majority.

Transparency is essential for a healthy democracy. But from failing whistleblower protections to a broken freedom of information system and police raids on media companies, transparency is under threat in Australia.

In 2021, in response to a human rights complaint brought by 170 local community members, represented by the Human Rights Law Centre, Rio Tinto agreed to fund an independent human rights and environmental impact assessment of the Panguna mine. Communities in Bougainville have just received the draft results from the investigation, which focused on the most serious areas of concern.

Instead of reining in social media giants, the government’s new law is letting them police themselves. We know what happens when we ask the fox to guard the henhouse.

Misinformation is poisoning our democracy by distorting public debate, threatening peoples’ online safety, and causing real world harm to people and communities. This is because Australia has weak laws that allow digital platforms to regulate themselves. Digital platforms profit from amplifying misinformation and hate speech. They will never fix the problem without government intervention. 

No child should ever grow up in a prison cell. Children belong in schools and playgrounds. Funnelling children into prisons does not make communities safer, it undermines them.

The Human Rights Law Centre's Whistleblower Project has turned one. Find out about our first year of impact protecting and empowering whistleblowers.

It is neither fair nor just to continue caging children in youth prisons.

What don’t we know because potential whistleblowers are too scared to raise concerns? What scandals remain hidden?

The Human Rights Law Centre stands in solidarity with the refugee activists who have maintained a constant protest outside government and ministerial offices in Melbourne since 14 July 2024.