The ALHR supports the Human Rights Law Centre’s report (attached below) provided to the United Nations Committee Against Torture for the Committee’s fifth review of Australia during its 53rd session in November 2014. The report, titled ‘Torture and cruel treatment in Australia: Joint NGO report to United Nations Committee Against Torture’, examines Australia’s compliance with the Convention … Read More >>
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ALHR has made a submission (below) UN Committee Against Torture as part of its fifth periodic review of Australia during its 53rd session from 3-28 November 2014. ALHR’s submission solely addresses issues concerning Australia’s policies, laws and practices on asylum seekers and refugees and, in particular, how Australia’s current policies, laws and practices contravene … Read More >>
UPDATE The Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee has tabled its report recommending against the passage of the Recognition of Foreign Marriages Bill 2014. The Committee concluded: 2.54 The committee notes that passage of the Bill would legislate a form of discrimination in that same-sex couples able to marry overseas would be afforded a different set … Read More >>
UPDATE The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security has today tabled its Advisory Report on the Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (Foreign Fighters) Bill 2014. A copy of the report can be found by following the below link: http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Joint/Intelligence_and_Security/Counter-Terrorism_Legislation_Amendment_Foreign_Fighters_Bill_2014/Report1 ORIGINAL POST ‘We must be careful’, says ALHR President Nathan Kennedy, ‘that in opposing the criminality of terrorism … Read More >>
ALHR has made submissions to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Infrastructure and Communications in relation to the use of section 313(3) of the Telecommunications Act 1997. ALHR’s primary concern is that the Act should adhere to international human rights law and standards such as the ‘International Principles on the Application of Human Rights … Read More >>
On 21 June 2013 the Terms of Reference paper for the Australian Government’s Productivity Commission inquiry into Access to Justice Arrangements became available. The Issues Paper was released on 16 September 2013 and the draft report was published on 8 April 2014. On 25 May 2014, ALHR President, Nathan Kennedy presented submissions. In its observations, … Read More >>
The Prime Minister and the Minister for Small Business announced a review of competition policy on 4 December 2013. The Issues Paper was released on 14 April 2014 and was open for submissions until 10 June 2014. ALHR’s submission is available below. There will be further opportunities for consultation after the release of the Draft Report (currently scheduled for release at … Read More >>
In January 2014, the NSW Government proposed a reform package to deal with drug and alcohol related violence. That package included proposals for mandatory sentencing on a range of offences. ALHR NSW campaigned vigorously against the mandatory sentencing, issuing a press release (available here) and writing to every member of the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council. … Read More >>
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights has identified deficiencies in the inquiry which the Commonwealth Attorney-General has set the Australian Law Reform Commission in relation to ‘traditional rights, freedoms and privileges’. Members of ALHR are together formulating ALHR’s submission, and have identified various problems with the TOR which are fully explained in a paper by Dr Tamsin Clarke which … Read More >>
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) has made a submission to the Commonwealth Attorney-General in relation to the proposed amendments to the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth).
Here is the link to a speech given by former ALHR President Stephen Keim SC on the proposed changes to the Crime and Misconduct Commission.
The report, Island of impunity? Investigation into international crimes in the final stages of the Sri Lankan civil war, was produced by the Public Interest Advocacy Centre’s (PIAC’s) International Crimes Evidence Project (ICEP). The report sheds new light on some of the worst alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the final months of the … Read More >>
