ALHR made a submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee regarding the Migration Amendment (Strengthening the Character Test) Bill 2019 reiterating the concerns we raised in our submission to Committee’s 2018 inquiry in relation to the Migration Amendment (Strengthening the Character Test) Bill 2018. The effect of the Bill is to further expand the powers of … Read More >>
ALHR made a submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee regarding concerns with the provisions of the Migration Legislation Amendment (Regional Processing Cohort) Bill 2019. Our submission reiterates the concerns raised in ALHR’s 2016 submission to the Committee’s inquiry in relation to the Migration Legislation Amendment (Regional Processing Cohort) Bill 2016. ALHR strongly opposes the fresh attempt … Read More >>
In a submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee regarding the Migration Amendment (Repairing Medical Transfers) Bill 2019 (August 2019), ALHR again expressed its strong opposition to any measures to either repeal or reduce the scope of the Medevac legislation, including via the Bill. The Medevac legislation seeks to ensure that people who are currently … Read More >>
In July 2019 ALHR made a submission to the QLD Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee in relation to the Youth Justice and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2019 (the Bill), which proposes to amend the Youth Justice Act 1992 (Qld), the Bail Act 1980 (Qld), and the Police Powers and Responsibilities Act 2000 (Qld). The Bill was … Read More >>
ALHR President Kerry Weste has written an Op-ed for Lawyers Weekly, examining how the unprecedented federal police raids on our media and the Morrison government’s current focus on religious freedoms highlight Australia’s urgent need for a federal charter of rights. Australia is the only Western liberal democracy without one. Read the Op-ed here
South Australia Australia’s leading association of human rights lawyers has welcomed a current South Australian Law Reform Institute (SALRI) review of laws relating to the termination of pregnancy. Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) President Kerry Weste says, “New South Wales and South Australia are the only remaining states where women face the prospect of … Read More >>
ALHR’s Business and Human Rights Subcommittee Co-Chairs, Lauren Zanetti and Madeleine Bridgette attended the 7th Annual UN Forum on Business and Human Rights in Geneva from 26 to 28 November 2018. The 2018 Forum, titled Business respect for human rights building on what works, involved around 2,500 participants from business, civil society, government, affected communities, … Read More >>
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) is seeking expressions of interest from experienced lawyers to Co-Chair our National Business and Human Rights Subcommittee (BHR Subcommittee). Together with the existing Chair, the new Co-Chair will be responsible for leading ALHR’s work in the business and human rights space at a national and international level. The successful … Read More >>
ALHR is very pleased to be working with the NSW Council for Civil Liberties to co-convene Human Rights for NSW, an alliance of leading legal, civil society and community organisations who support the introduction of a Human Rights Act in New South Wales. NSW is lagging behind more progressive states like Victoria, the ACT and Queensland in protecting the most vulnerable members of our … Read More >>
ALHR has published a position paper on the Federal Government’s Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme. ALHR is concerned that there are widespread misunderstandings about the nature of the legislation, in particular internal inconsistencies in the amended legislation as ultimately enacted, and in the fact sheets issued for the guidance of the public by Attorney-General’s Department. In … Read More >>
ALHR made a submission to Queensland Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee on the Human Rights Bill 2018. ALHR welcomes the timely introduction of the Bill and strongly supports this landmark reform. A Queensland Human Rights Act will not only ensure that fundamental human rights of Queenslanders are protected and valued, but it will also assist … Read More >>
ALHR has made a submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee on Legislative exemptions that allow faith-based educational institutions to discriminate against students, teachers and staff On 13 November 2018, the Senate referred the following matter to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee for inquiry and report by 26 November 2018: Legislative exemptions … Read More >>
