ALHR Campaign Win! NSW is one step closer to a Human Rights Act
ALHR is proud to co-convene Human Rights Act for NSW – an Alliance of more than 120 legal and community organisations, religious bodies and trade unions. Our Alliance has spent years campaigning together for an inquiry into the introduction of a Human Rights Act for NSW.
This week we are celebrating an important campaign win!
New South Wales is one step closer to a Human Rights Act, with the NSW parliament unanimously supporting the establishment of a Community Services Committee Inquiry into the Human Rights Bill 2025. The Bill was introduced by the Member for Newtown, Jenny Leong MP, in October 2025.
Read the joint media release that ALHR issued on behalf of the Alliance here
Kerry Weste, Chair of the Human Rights Act Alliance and Vice President at Australian Lawyers for Human Rights, said:
“We commend the Parliament for establishing this Inquiry to examine how we can improve human rights protections across our state. For people in NSW basic rights remain largely unprotected under existing legislation, leaving us lagging seriously behind other jurisdictions.
This consultation, with the entire NSW community, offers us a chance to come together and have a very unifying conversation about returning dignity and power to everyday people, and helping government officials to make fair and caring decisions.
It will help NSW to face big challenges like the cost of living crisis, housing crisis, domestic violence, equitable timely access to healthcare and inclusive education for all children in a way that leaves no behind.”
Claudia Robinson, Chair of ALHR’s Human Rights Act(s) Committee, said:
“The establishment of an inquiry is a fantastic next step towards improving human rights protections in NSW.
A Human Rights Act would give people in NSW a clear, accessible way to have their rights considered in everyday decision‑making. It would help ensure that government agencies, public authorities and lawmakers take human rights into account from the outset of law and policy making.
This inquiry is an opportunity for NSW to modernise its human rights framework and ensure that everyone has their rights recognised and upheld.”
Contact: Amber Plum ap@jcp.com.au 0407914508