Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) is deeply troubled by the Minns Government’s attempts to rush through a further round of draconian anti-protest laws, which threaten to breach Australia’s international human rights law obligations.* The Crimes Amendment (Obstructing a Railway) Bill 2024 would amend section 213 of the Crimes Act by inserting a 200-penalty unit offence, … Read More >>
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) joins the many expert voices condemning the Albanese Government’s Migration Amendment Bill 2024 (Cth) and Migration Amendment (Bridging Visa Conditions) Regulations 2024 (Cth). The new measures seek to drastically expand the Federal Government’s powers, allowing it to warehouse people in third countries, reverse protection findings made for refugees, and … Read More >>
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) celebrates the appointment of our national president, Nicholas Stewart, on his appointment to the NSW Premier’s LGBTQI+ Advisory Council. ALHR’s Vice President Kerry Weste said: “Nicholas Stewart’s appointment means that the NSW LGBTQI+ Advisory Council will have a senior human rights lawyer contributing to the work of the council … Read More >>
Last night some of the State’s most respected legal figures teamed up at a sold out event to highlight the need for New South Wales to catch up with other states and territories by legislating a Human Rights Act. Eminent international jurist and former High Court judge the Honourable Michael Kirby AC CMG, Hugh de … Read More >>
Welcoming Disability, a group supported by more than 100 organisations and experts, has commended the Albanese Government for a significant reform to Australia’s Migration System – Children born and ordinarily resident in Australia will now be exempt from discriminatory health-related criteria that would have made them ineligible for a visa The Migration Regulations have been … Read More >>
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) expresses concern at the Albanese Government’s announcement that the 2026 National Census will continue to exclude people born with innate variations of sex characteristics, despite the inclusion of sex, sexuality and gender questions. The announcement has been confirmed by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, who previously worked with leading … Read More >>
In a groundbreaking Australian first, the ACT has become the first jurisdiction in Australia to explicitly enshrine the right to a healthy environment within its Human Rights Act 2004 (ACT). Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) has applauded the move, noting it comes a year after the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a resolution … Read More >>
As Australia prepares for its next National Census in 2026, Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) seeks an overturn of the Australian Government’s decision to exclude the LGBTIQ community from the Census . ALHR Vice President Nicholas Stewart said ‘All members of society, including the LGBTIQ community, should be accurately counted and represented in Australia’s … Read More >>
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) has expressed frustration and concern at the NSW Government’s postponement of Alex Greenwich MP’s Equality Bill. The bill, which was scheduled for debate on Thursday 8 August 2024, has now been pushed back to October. ALHR President Kerry Weste said: “The LGBTIQ+ community should not have to wait a … Read More >>
Welcoming Disability, a group supported by more than 100 organisations and experts, holds significant concern that the findings in the recently released Report on the Department of Home Affairs Review of Australia’s migration health requirement fall well short of what is needed. Darryl Steff, CEO of Down Syndrome Australia says: “It is disappointing that there continues … Read More >>
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) welcomes the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights landmark report recommending that the Australian Government enact a federal Human Rights Act. For over thirty years, ALHR has called on the Australian government to comprehensively incorporate its international human rights law obligations into domestic legislation via a federal Human Rights … Read More >>
In an Australian first, an ACT Government Parliamentary Committee has recommended that the human right to a healthy environment be recognised under ACT law and protected within the Human Rights Act 2004 (ACT). The ACT Legislative Standing Committee on Justice and Community Safety today released its final report into the Inquiry into Human Rights (Healthy Environment) Amendment Bill 2023. … Read More >>
