Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) has slammed Coalition MPs’ proposal to strip down Australia’s racial discrimination laws on Harmony Day. “The suggested change to replace the words ‘insult, offend or humiliate’ with ‘harass’ demonstrates a profound misunderstanding of the way racist hate speech works its harm by establishing racist discourse as socially acceptable,” ALHR … Read More >>
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) would like to warmly thank the business chiefs who have shown leadership by standing up for the human rights of LGBTI Australians and voiced their support for marriage equality. The realisation of human rights requires courageous and strong voices from all sections of the community, including the corporate sector. … Read More >>
Fred Nile has reintroduced his Crimes Amendment Bill, known as Zoe’s Law, which seeks to criminalise harm to, or destruction of, a “child in utero”. Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) Women and Girls’ Rights Subcommittee Co-Chair Dr. Rita Shackel said, “These provisions effectively accord both foetuses and embryos a separate legal identity to that … Read More >>
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Treasurer Scott Morrison and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop’s failure to censure US President Donald Trump’s recent policy decisions on refugees and immigration, supporting torture, violating the rights of women and rescinding protections for transgender students – to name just a few – highlight concerning inconsistencies in Australia’s current candidacy for a … Read More >>
Submission from Australian Lawyers for Human Rights In October 2015 Australian Lawyers for Human Rights made a submission to the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade on Australia’s efforts to advocate for worldwide abolition of the death penalty, having particular regard to further steps Australia could take to advocate for worldwide abolition. … Read More >>
On Sunday 5th march ALHR QLD Convenor, Kate Marchesi, spoke on a panel at the annual One Woman Project’s International Women’s Day High Tea in Brisbane. The One Woman Project is a youth-led, registered non-for-profit organisation focused upon education about and advocacy promoting gender equality and the theme of this year’s High Tea was … Read More >>
An exclusive report by news agency, Reuters, that the Australian Government has allegedly increased payments to some asylum seekers on Manus Island to $US25,000 to return home has spread widely with Radio France International calling for an interview with ALHR about what this could mean. You can listen to RFI’s interview with ALHR President, Benedict Coyne, here. … Read More >>
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) is profoundly concerned about reports that the Australian Government has brought forward deadlines for asylum seekers who are subject to fast-track refugee status determination. Asylum seekers have been told to lodge their application within 14, 30 or 60 days of receiving a letter or risk losing welfare payments, access … Read More >>
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) welcomes the recent Senate Select Committee Report on the Marriage Amendment (Same-Sex Marriage) Bill of 15 February 2017 and calls for a free vote on an amended bill. While the bill as originally proposed sought widespread exemptions to antidiscrimination law on the grounds of religion, the Committee report tempers … Read More >>
ALHR has written to the the Hon Susan Kiefel AC to express our congratulations on her appointment as Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia and to the Hon James Edelman congratulating him on his appointment to the Court. The appointment of the Hon Susan Kiefel AC as Chief Justice is historic by virtue … Read More >>
More than 100 Australian LGBTI groups and leaders, Including ALHR’s LGBTI Subcommittee, have joined together in the wake of the Senate Inquiry Report into the Draft Amendment to the Marriage Act to voice their support for the example set by the committee and to urge the parliament to act on marriage equality for all … Read More >>
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights welcome today’s announcement by Federal Attorney-General George Brandis and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop that Australia will ratify the UN Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture (OPCAT). OPCAT is an international agreement which aims to prevent torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in detention. The OPCAT was … Read More >>
