Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) commends the Federal Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus KC on the establishment of a Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights Inquiry to investigate Australia’s human rights framework, with a focus on whether the Federal Government should introduce a Federal Human Rights Act. The announcement comes soon after the launch of an … Read More >>
A group of more than 100 organisations and experts have signed an OPEN LETTER calling for urgent reform of Australia’s migration health laws to remove their discriminatory impact on people with disabilities and health conditions. The letter is part of the Welcoming Disability Campaign led by Down Syndrome Australia and Australian Lawyers for Human Rights. … Read More >>
In January 2023 ALHR submitted a Shadow Report to the United Nations Committee Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women regarding aspects of Australia’s compliance with the the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Since the last reporting cycle, Australia has taken a number of positive steps to … Read More >>
ALHR is seeking expressions of interest from lawyers or law students nearing completion of their studies to Co-Convene our state and territory activities. The successful applicants will be lawyers or law students with a knowledge of and passion for international human rights law. ALHR convenors are supported and guided by ALHR’s National Committee and Executive … Read More >>
Leading human rights experts have warned that National’s Senator Matthew Canavan’s Human Rights (Children Born Alive Protection) Bill 2022 (the Bill) risks a dangerous politicisation of healthcare in Australia by replicating the rhetoric of the US anti-abortion movement and undermining long-settled international human rights standards. The Bill, which is currently the subject of a Senate … Read More >>
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) welcomes the launch of an Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) Free & Equal Position Paper proposing a model for a Federal Human Rights Act. The AHRC’s proposals seek to create legal protections for the human rights of all people in Australia, and provide ways to seek justice if people’s … Read More >>
Human rights cannot be enjoyed without a safe, clean and healthy environment; and sustainable environmental governance cannot exist without the establishment of and respect for human rights. Since the launch of ALHR’s national Environment and Human Rights Committee three years ago there has been an ever widening acceptance both within Australia and globally that human … Read More >>
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) expresses profound concern that the United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT) has been forced to take the drastic measure of terminating its visit to Australia due to continued obstruction from New South Wales and Queensland while attempting to fulfil its mandate under the Optional Protocol to the … Read More >>
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) has commended Premier Dominic Perrottet and Opposition Leader Chris Minns for publicly committing their parties support for measures to ban conversion therapy in New South Wales, irrespective of who wins government at the state election in March. ALHR’s LGBTIQA+ Rights Committee Chair, Georgia Burke said, “ALHR welcomes this bipartisan position, … Read More >>
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) welcomes the Federal Government’s announcement that it will fulfill its pre-election commitment to end a decade of suffering by providing a path to permanent safety for refugees holding temporary protection visas. Approximately 19,000 people who Australia has recognised as refugees, but who have been subjected to temporary visas under … Read More >>
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) is deeply concerned about the Albanese Government’s attempts to advance the Migration Amendment (Aggregate Sentences) Bill 2023 in the Senate. Caitlin Caldwell, ALHR Chair of Refugee Rights said, “The Bill would make aggregate criminal sentences (a single sentence imposed for two or more changes within a case) a legal … Read More >>
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be warned that this submission refers to the sensitive issue of death and dying and includes the names of deceased persons. ALHR made a submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee Inquiry into Missing and Murdered First Nations Women and Children. Murder rates for First Nations women … Read More >>
