Human rights cannot be enjoyed without a safe, clean and healthy environment; and sustainable environmental governance cannot exist without the establishment of and respect for human rights. Since the launch of ALHR’s national Environment and Human Rights Committee three years ago there has been an ever widening acceptance both within Australia and globally that human … Read More >>
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) expresses profound concern that the United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT) has been forced to take the drastic measure of terminating its visit to Australia due to continued obstruction from New South Wales and Queensland while attempting to fulfil its mandate under the Optional Protocol to the … Read More >>
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) has commended Premier Dominic Perrottet and Opposition Leader Chris Minns for publicly committing their parties support for measures to ban conversion therapy in New South Wales, irrespective of who wins government at the state election in March. ALHR’s LGBTIQA+ Rights Committee Chair, Georgia Burke said, “ALHR welcomes this bipartisan position, … Read More >>
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) welcomes the Federal Government’s announcement that it will fulfill its pre-election commitment to end a decade of suffering by providing a path to permanent safety for refugees holding temporary protection visas. Approximately 19,000 people who Australia has recognised as refugees, but who have been subjected to temporary visas under … Read More >>
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) is deeply concerned about the Albanese Government’s attempts to advance the Migration Amendment (Aggregate Sentences) Bill 2023 in the Senate. Caitlin Caldwell, ALHR Chair of Refugee Rights said, “The Bill would make aggregate criminal sentences (a single sentence imposed for two or more changes within a case) a legal … Read More >>
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be warned that this submission refers to the sensitive issue of death and dying and includes the names of deceased persons. ALHR made a submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee Inquiry into Missing and Murdered First Nations Women and Children. Murder rates for First Nations women … Read More >>
ALHR made a submission to the Queensland parliament’s Legal Affairs and Safety Committee Inquiry into the Monitoring of Places of Detention (Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture) Bill 2022. In October 2022, ALHR, along with more than 95 other key signatories, expressed profound concern in an open letter when the United Nations Subcommittee on … Read More >>
ALHR has made a submission to the Senate Standing Committee’s Inquiry into Universal Access to Reproductive Healthcare, welcoming the Federal Government’s commitment to dismantling barriers to universal access to reproductive healthcare. Our submission highlights the international human rights law basis for universal access to reproductive healthcare, current barriers arising from the cost and accessibility of contraception and abortion … Read More >>
Human Rights Day message from Kerry Weste President, Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) This weekend we celebrated Human Rights Day and the 74th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), a document which underpins all international human rights law. This year’s theme – freedom, dignity and justice for all – offers an opportunity … Read More >>
A group of over 150 organisations and individuals have endorsed a statement calling for a parliamentary Inquiry into a Human Rights Act for South Australia. The statement – released to coincide with international Human Rights Day tomorrow – has been led by the South Australian Council of Social Service (SACOSS), the Rights Resource Network of … Read More >>
ALHR has made a submission to the statutory review of the Modern Slavery Act 2018 (Cth). We are calling on the Federal Government to implement our recommendations for reforms to urgently strengthen the legislation and more effectively hold companies accountable for identifying and preventing modern slavery in their operations and supply chains. According to the … Read More >>
The ACT Government’s Justice and Community Safety Directorate is currently conducting a public consultation to inform consideration of a right to a healthy environment in the ACT Human Rights Act. Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (‘ALHR’) made a submission in relation to the Discussion Paper on the Human Right to a Healthy Environment (‘the Discussion … Read More >>
