The Foreign Affairs and Aid Sub-Committee of the Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade has commenced an inquiry into whether Australia should adopt national legislation to combat modern slavery, comparable to the United Kingdom’s Modern Slavery Act 2015. ALHR made a detailed submission to the Inquiry supporting the implementation of a … Read More >>
On 12th May ALHR made submission to the Select Committee on Strengthening Multiculturalism. The committee is to inquire into and report on ways of protecting and strengthening Australia’s multiculturalism and social inclusion. The protection, promotion and strengthening of Australia’s multiculturalism and policies of social inclusion are integral to Australia’s progress and its stable democratic nature. All marginalised … Read More >>
ALHR is proud to have contributed to and endorsed the attached Australian NGO report for the 2017 review under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The submission has been prepared by the National Association of Community Legal Centres and Kingsford Legal Centre, with contributions from a number of NGOs across Australia and … Read More >>
On 7th November 2016 ALHR lodged its submission to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee Inquiry into self-harm and neglect of asylum seekers in relation to the Nauru Regional Processing Centre (attached below). The Co-Chairs of ALHR’s Refugee Rights Subcommittee, Khanh Hoang and Rebecca Dowd also appeared before the Committee to give oral evidence.
Submission from Australian Lawyers for Human Rights In October 2015 Australian Lawyers for Human Rights made a submission to the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade on Australia’s efforts to advocate for worldwide abolition of the death penalty, having particular regard to further steps Australia could take to advocate for worldwide abolition. … Read More >>
ALHR has written a submission to the NT Attorney-General and Minister for Health, Natasha Fyles MLA, on proposed changes to legislation governing termination of pregnancy in the Territory. Access to abortion in the NT is extremely limited and inconsistent with other jurisdictions. The NT government proposes to repeal section 11 of the Medical Services Act, introduce a … Read More >>
ALHR believes that it is not appropriate for Australian legislation to retreat from the values and standards required by international law and which have been associated with adequate protection from racial vilification in so many global jurisdictions. We believe that it is not necessary to amend the Racial Discrimination Act but that if any amendment is … Read More >>
ALHR strongly opposes the use of data retained under the mandatory retention scheme for non-criminal and non-security matters involving civil litigation. The mandatory data retention scheme was claimed by the Commonwealth Government to be purely a targeted and proportional response to perceived security threats. The Inquiry is considering the possibility of opening up access to all of the … Read More >>
On 14 November Kahn Hoang and Rebecca Dowd, Co-Chairs of ALHR’s Refugee Rights Subcommittee met with the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of migrants in Sydney along with other NGO organisations. The meeting went for about 75 mins and the Rapporteur took views from all interested parties in in a round-table discussion. ALHR made … Read More >>
Last week ALHR made a submission to Queensland’s Review of the operation of the Adoption Act 2009 calling on the Queensland to join Western Australia, Tasmania, the ACT, New South Wales and Victoria in enabling same sex couples to adopt. ALHR highlighted that the current discrimination against same sex and gender diverse couples breached Article … Read More >>
ALHR provided the following submission on point (j) of the Terms of Reference to address the international human rights obligations that apply in respect to children with disabilities having access to and participating in education in Australia. In summary, ALHR submits that in accordance with articles 24 and 7 of the United Nations Convention on … Read More >>
In August 2015, ALHR made a submission to the Education and Employment Committee into the current levels of access and attainment for students with disability in the school system, and the impact on students and families associated with inadequate levels of support (“Inquiry”). In summary, ALHR submits that in accordance with articles 24 and 7 … Read More >>
