ALHR

Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) is deeply saddened to hear of the execution by firing squad of Mr Andrew Chan and Mr Myuran Sukumaran. Our thoughts are with their families and loved ones. These young men had been genuinely rehabilitated and demonstrated an understanding of the criminal nature of their acts and the tragic … Read More >>

Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) are appalled by the decision of the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection to refuse mother Maria Sevilla a skilled working visa for her and her son Tyrone to stay in Australia.  Ms Sevilla appealed that decision to the Migration Review Tribunal which has rejected the application, resulting in … Read More >>

The UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Juan Mendez, has delivered a report finding that Australia is violating the UN Convention Against Torture by detaining children in immigration detention, and holding asylum seekers in dangerous and violent conditions in offshore processing centres. Following comments that Australians were “sick of being lectured to by the United Nations”, … Read More >>

Proposed funding cuts to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (ATSILS) represent a social justice and human rights failure. It will see more Indigenous Australians imprisoned and more Indigenous children removed from their parents. The cuts announced in the 2014 federal budget equate to around $13.4 million or around 20 per cent of national … Read More >>

Proposed laws to increase mandatory minimum sentences, currently before the Western Australian parliament show why Western Australia and Australia need a Bill of Rights, say the Australian Lawyers for Human Rights. The Criminal Law (Home Burglary and Other Offences) Bill 2014 alters the current “three strike” policy by allowing first-time offenders to be imprisoned after … Read More >>

ALHR strongly opposes the adoption of the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment (Data Retention) Bill 2014. “This Bill” says ALHR President, Nathan Kennedy, “is an insult to all Australians. It imposes blanket data collection on us all for surveillance purposes. It assumes every man, woman and child is potentially capable of such criminal activity that … Read More >>

Australian Human Rights Commission Report Reveals Policy of Child Abuse The Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) today released its report, The Forgotten Children, providing a comprehensive overview of the degrading conditions in which children seeking asylum are forced to live as a result of current Australian law and policy. The report is the culmination of … Read More >>

ALHR opposes the adoption of the Fair Work Amendment (Bargaining Processes) Bill 2014. “This Bill” says ALHR President, Nathan Kennedy, “restricts the autonomy of workers in the collective bargaining process and tests their claims against possible productivity changes. It does this in two ways: (1) byrequiring‘improvementstoproductivity’tobediscussedduringenterprisebargaining;and (2) by restricting Fair Work Commission approval of protected … Read More >>

MEDIA RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The Department of Social Services has announced that it will discontinue $280,000 in annual Commonwealth funding for a family program run by the Karralika Programs drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre. Ben Ettinger, the Convenor of Australian Lawyers for Human Rights in the Australian Capital Territory, expressed dismay at the decision. … Read More >>

Lawyers in Queensland have joined the debate about the sponsorship of Queensland Police by private corporations such as Santos. “The independence of the Australian police is fundamental to our democracy and our human rights” said Nathan Kennedy, lawyer and President of Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR).  “The sponsorship of the State’s Police Force by … Read More >>

The UN Committee against Torture has found Australia’s policy of intercepting and turning back boats is done without consideration of the country’s obligations under article 3 of the UN Convention against Torture. The Committee said the Migration and Maritime Powers Legislation Amendment (Resolving the Asylum Legacy Caseload) Bill 2014 puts Australia at grave risk of … Read More >>

Australia Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) congratulates the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) on delivering the report, Equality, Capacity and Disability in Commonwealth Laws. Nathan Kennedy, President of ALHR briefly explains that “the Report advocates for a new “Commonwealth decision-making model” that emphasises ‘supporters’ and ‘representatives’ for people with disabilities rather than substituted decision making”. … Read More >>