ALHR president, Nathan Kennedy, wrote to all ALP and cross bench MPs and Senators today urging them not to pass the Data Retention Bill. The text of the correspondence can be found below. On behalf of the over 2,600 members of Australian Lawyers for Human Rights I am writing to urge you not to pass the … Read More >>
ALHR and other concerned groups have sent an open letter to Queensland political parties. The full body of the text is attached. The public have also been invited to add their names to the letter here: http://theausinstitute.nationbuilder.com/accountability_qld An open letter to Queensland political parties, The erosion of accountability and transparency has damaged democracy in Queensland. Successive governments … Read More >>
UPDATE: The Minister for Immigration and Border Protection has responded. The letter is accessible below. ORIGINAL POST: ALHR supports UNICEF’s call for an independent & systematic monitor for immigration detention.
The Hodgman Government’s Workplaces (Protection from Protesters) Bill 2014 (‘the Bill’) threatens to violate the human rights of all Tasmanians. ALHR is deeply concerned by the prospect of the Bill passing into law and urges the Tasmanian MLCs to reject the Bill as it is clearly inconsistent with International Human Rights law. The Bill’s proposed … Read More >>
FURTHER UPDATE Kim Wells MP, Minister for Police and Emergency Services, has responded outlining the changes made to legislation by the Victorian Government. The response is available below. UPDATE The Shadow Attorney General, Martin Pakula MP has responded to the joint letter. His response can be found below.
ALHR has endorsed an open letter to Attorney-General George Brandis calling on Australia to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT). The letter is available below. The letter has been endorsed by 64 organisations, including indigenous justice, legal, refugee, disability, medical and mental health organisations. Copies have also been sent to State and Territory Attorneys-General.
A coalition of diverse community groups, including ALHR, has written to the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights outlining their concerns at the proposed introduction of the Workplaces (Protection from Protesters) Bill 2014. The groups have called on three Special Rapporteurs to investigate the incompatibility of the Bill with obligations under international … Read More >>
ALHR has written to the Chinese Ministry of Justice and All-China Lawyers Association raising concerns about the increasing harassment of lawyers in China. ALHR has called for the release of lawyers in detention and that the Chinese Government ensure protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards and international instruments … Read More >>
The 5th May 2014 marks the 1st anniversary of the entry into force of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. ALHR, together with 11 other prominent NGO’s have written to the Federal Attorney General and Minister for Foreign Affairs urging Australia to ratify the Optional Protocol. A response … Read More >>
Below is an overview of the meeting between DFAT Deputy Secretary Gillian Bird and Australian NGO representatives to discuss the outcome of the recent Human Rights Dialogue with China.
ALHR has written to the South Australian Premier and Opposition Leader concerned that South Australia lacks a parliamentary committee that undertakes pre-enactment legislative scrutiny or post-legislative scrutiny of legislation for human rights impact, or indeed impact on any rights. ALHR has urged that South Australia put such a committee in place.
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has been asked to revoke his statement, made during his recent visit to Sri Lanka for the Commonwealth summit, that suggested that the use of torture can be justified in “difficult circumstances”. In a joint letter, the Human Rights Law Centre, Human Rights Watch, the Castan Centre for Human Rights, … Read More >>
