Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) has criticised the Australian Government’s decision to cease funding a national Disability Discrimination Commissioner. The Government’s budget, announced earlier this week, declared it will make ‘savings … by reducing the number of special-purpose Commissioners [at the Australian Human Rights Commission] from the current seven to six’.
The radical changes sought by the LNP in the Crime and Misconduct and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2014 will end a golden era of anti-corruption in Queensland. The reforms will erode the rights of everyday Queenslanders and compromise their ability to hold their Government and police force accountable via our robust and independent Crime and … Read More >>
ALHR raised concerns with the Government’s exposure draft of proposed amendments to racial discrimination laws. John Southalan, ALHR’s President, said “This proposed change to the law removes important protections against racial discrimination. We reject the Government’s suggestion that racial vilification or intimidation is acceptable if done ‘in the course of…public discussion of any political [or] … Read More >>
ALHR today criticised the Newman Government’s proposed juvenile justice laws. Queensland Convenor, Benedict Coyne, stated this morning: “The Newman Government’s proposals are inconsistent with various human rights obligations under international instruments including the Convention on the Rights of the Child which Australia was one of the first countries to ratify in December 1990”. The full … Read More >>
ALHR today endorsed an open letter of support for African Refugee Communities published by the Darfur Australia Network in The Australian.
On 12 February ALHR sought leave to make amicus submissions to the High Court, on the hearing of an appeal brought by the Western Australian Government and BHP Billiton against a native title decision of the Federal Court. The Court did not grant ALHR leave, but issued its decision on 12 March 2014 dismissing the … Read More >>
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) said today the Queensland Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie is deliberately cultivating a climate of fear. The Attorney-General has made legal demands on an advertising company about trade union billboard advertisements. Spokesperson, Benedict Coyne, says that the approach is part of a wider campaign by the Newman Government to silence critics … Read More >>
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights is deeply concerned about whether newly appointed Human Rights Commissioner, Mr Tim Wilson is properly fulfilling his role following comments on ABC’s Lateline program (17 February 2014). This morning in Sydney, Vice-President of ALHR, Mr Nathan Kennedy stated: “Mr Wilson’s comments about the nature of human rights show a fundamental … Read More >>
On 24 January ALHR issued a media release in response to the proposed new NSW laws imposing mandatory minimum sentences for a range of crimes including assault and affray. ALHR’s Vice President, Nathan Kennedy, said “The deaths due to recent ‘one-punch’ attacks in NSW are tragic and the Government has a responsibility to protect the … Read More >>
On 17 January ALHR issued a media release welcoming the announcement by Premier Newman that the Queensland government intends to repeal the bikie laws. ALHR’s spokesperson, Benedict Coyne, stated ‘The government is obviously under pressure. Its propaganda war against bikies as a justification for passing such repugnant and undemocratic laws is clearly not working’.
Cuts to legal services risk human rights Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) have joined national calls for the Australian Government to reconsider its cuts to legal services. ‘These cuts will undermine national efforts to protect the human rights of all Australians,’ said ALHR President, John Southalan. ALHR opposes cuts to the Aboriginal and Torres … Read More >>
ALHR considers that the Prime Minister’s response to allegations of torture in Sri Lanka represents an alarming shift in Australia’s approach to international law. Torture is unconditionally banned under international law. This has always been the consensus: in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, and in subsequent treaties on Civil and Political Rights and on … Read More >>
