Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) has made a New Year call on the Australian Prime Minister to give immediate effect to his 2018 promise to remove religious exemptions to discrimination laws affecting LGBT students and teachers in Australian schools. ALHR says that the Morrison Government’s proposed amendments to the ALP’s Sex Discrimination Amendment (Removing … Read More >>
Leading human rights lawyers have expressed grave concerns at some of the recommendations of the Ruddock Review into ‘religious freedom,’ released today, seven months after it was provided to the Government. In response to the recommendations, Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) has joined the Law Council of Australia in calling on the Morrison Government … Read More >>
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) welcomes the launch of Equality Australia, as a positive and necessary step toward a more inclusive Australia. ALHR’s LGBTI Committee co-chair, Nicholas Stewart, said, “Equality Australia was born out of the successful Australian Marriage Equality campaign which in 2017 was integral to ensuring support for equal marriage laws in … Read More >>
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) has welcomed yesterday’s announcement of a $1 million reward for information leading to the conviction of any person connected to the murder of Scott Johnson, who was killed in what is believed to have been a gay hate murder in Sydney’s North Head in December 1988. ALHR’s LGBTI Subcommittee … Read More >>
Today is Human Rights Day and the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), a milestone document, which underpins all international human rights law and inspires us to continue to work to ensure all people can live in freedom, equality and dignity. Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) President Kerry Weste says, … Read More >>
Australia’s leading human rights organisation has welcomed a Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade report examining the global prevalence of human organ trafficking. The Compassion, Not Commerce: An Inquiry into Human Organ Trafficking and Organ Transplant Tourism Report makes twelve recommendations aimed at law reform to address Australian participation in the illicit trade and … Read More >>
ALHR made a submission to Queensland Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee on the Human Rights Bill 2018. ALHR welcomes the timely introduction of the Bill and strongly supports this landmark reform. A Queensland Human Rights Act will not only ensure that fundamental human rights of Queenslanders are protected and valued, but it will also assist … Read More >>
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) is pleased to release the third of four policy papers addressing Australia’s international legal obligations to protect the rights of persons with disabilities. This third position paper to be published discusses the pervasive and widespread violence and abuse committed against women and girls with disabilities across a range of … Read More >>
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) commends the passing of the federal Modern Slavery Act 2018. This important human rights legislation represents a first step towards eradicating modern slavery in the operations and supply chains of large Australian companies. The Walk Free Foundation and the International Labour Organisation estimate that last year around 40.3 million … Read More >>
Australia’s leading association of human rights lawyers is calling on the Australian Government to urgently commit to ensuring a safety and a viable future for every person transferred from Australia to Nauru and Papua New Guinea. Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) has welcomed the Migration Amendment (Urgent Medical Treatment) Bill 2018 introduced today, which … 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 >>
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) commends the recommendations made by the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs inquiry into legislative exemptions that allow faith-based educational institutions to discriminate against students, teachers and staff. The matter was referred to the Committee on 13 November 2018, following leaks of the Religious Freedoms Review, known … Read More >>
