Australia is in the midst of an unacceptable crisis: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are being removed from their homes and placed in out-of-home care at incredibly high rates 11 times that of non-Indigenous children. This week, Family Matters is running a national Week of Action to highlight issues in out-of-home care for First … Read More >>
ALHR has made a submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee in relation to the Migration Amendment (Strengthening the Character Test) Bill 2018 (the Bill). The effect of the Bill is to further expand the powers of the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs (the Minister) to refuse to grant visas or … Read More >>
For immediate release: 4 June 2018 Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) is alarmed by a number of recent attacks on the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) which it says amount to attacks on democracy and the rule of law. In response to criticism of the AAT’s role, ALHR President Kerry Weste said: “The independence of … Read More >>
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) have expressed serious concerns about Michaelia Cash, the Federal Minister for Women’s, decision to cross the floor to vote in favour of a November 16th motion by Australian Conservatives Senator Mr Cory Bernadi. The motion was designed to criticise White Ribbon, an organisation dedicated to reducing violence against women, … Read More >>
Next week in Geneva, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination will assess Australia’s compliance with the CERD. The NGO coalition report to the United Nations (UN) Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (the CERD Committee) examines Australia’s compliance with the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination … Read More >>
ALHR member volunteers required for a Public Consultation Submission ALHR continues to advocate for the enactment of a Modern Slavery Act in Australia with a view to abolishing modern slavery in all its forms in the domestic and global supply chains of companies operating in Australia. In February 2017 the Australian Government announced an Inquiry … Read More >>
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) is seeking expressions of interest from lawyers to take up roles as Co-Convenors in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. There are three volunteer positions available and the successful applicants will join the existing experienced lawyers currently in post as Convenors. ALHR State/ Territory Convenors are responsible for … Read More >>
ALHR’s Dr Tamsin Clarke, Chair of our Freedoms and Human Rights Act Subcommittees, attended a meeting with the United Nations Special Rapporteur on racism and xenophobia, Mr. Mutuma Ruteere, at the Australian Human Rights Commission in Sydney last week. At the meeting ALHR made detailed oral submissions in relation to multiple concerns regarding racism and … Read More >>
On Monday 22 August 2016, Chair of ALHR’s Women and Girls’ Rights Subcommittee, Claire Hammerton, presented a human rights based seminar on violence against women to students at the La Trobe Law School. The La Trobe Law and Justice Blog has written about Claire’s visit: Violence against women: The Scale of The Problem Claire’s presentation, entitled Violence Against Women: An … Read More >>
Idil Mohamud and Sophie Hantz are students of the La Trobe Law School, undertaking an internship with Australian Lawyers for Human Rights and are currently compiling a brief of evidence for ALHR’s Women and Girls’ Rights Subcommittee for a possible CEDAW complaint on behalf of the asylum seeker and refugee women in Nauru. Idil and Sophie have written a blog … Read More >>
On March 2, 2016 the Government released the Australian Law Reform Commission’s (ALRC) Final Report on ‘Traditional Rights and Freedoms – Encroachments by Commonwealth Laws’. To access the full report click here.
Meredith Jones, a La Trobe University Bachelor of Law Student writes: Australia’s policies of pushing back boats risk repeating this history. The end of World War II saw the largest population upheaval in European history. Millions of Jewish and other minorities fled Europe or were expelled. Unfortunately, this was only the beginning of the suffering. … Read More >>
