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Queensland laws breach fundamental democratic safeguards

posted on October 27, 2013

Queenslanders should be extremely concerned about a number of laws that were passed by the Newman government last week. The amendments radically extend the power of executive government at the expense of the courts, undermine human rights principles such as equality before the law and the freedoms of association and expression and further politicise crime … Read More >>

Submission – Identification Laws Amendment Bill 2013

posted on October 24, 2013

ALHR made a submission to Queensland Parliament’s Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee. ALHR raised concerns about inconsistencies with human rights principles, and potential to foster anti-Islamic prejudice in the broader Queensland community.

ALHR fundraiser for Asylum Seekers’ Centre

posted on October 17, 2013

Thanks to everyone who attend ALHR’s fundraiser for the Asylum Seekers’ Centre of NSW on 17 October. More than 120 people attended and we raised more than $3700 for the Asylum Seekers’ Centre. The panellists Prof Mary Crock (University of Sydney), Graham Thom (board member of Asylum Seekers’ Centre) and Natalie Young (RACS) spoke eloquently … Read More >>

G20 (Safety and Security) Bill 2013

posted on September 16, 2013

ALHR made a submission to Queensland Parliament’s Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee, regarding the proposed bill. ALHR considers that powers proposed under relevant sections of the G20 (Safety and Security) Bill 2013 are already appropriately dealt with under the current law which provides the powers for police and ?authorised persons? to carry out the … Read More >>

Caution against foetus protection proposed laws

posted on September 10, 2013

ALHR wrote to several NSW MPs with concerns about the potential implications which could arise from the Crimes Amendment (Destruction of Child in Utero – Zoe’s Law) Bill 2011 which is being considered by the NSW Parliament. ALHR urges NSW Parliamentarians to consider any such law changes carefully, to ensure they do not subject women … Read More >>

Review of Australia’s terrorism financing legislation

posted on August 16, 2013

ALHR wrote to the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor regarding the review of Australia?s terrorism financing legislation and the National Security Information (Criminal and Civil Proceedings) Act 2004. ALHR requests the INSLM’s report to the Prime Minister: (a) reinforce the central importance of human rights in designing and implementing measures to counter terrorism; (b) explain … Read More >>

Criticism of PNG arrangements

posted on July 24, 2013

ALHR, with other lawyers, have been quoted in a Lawyers Weekly article “Lawyers question legality of PNG asylum plan”. Lawyers’ Weekly interviewed ALHR’s President in writing their article. The article’s concluding paragraphs are extracted below. Australia has promised to ‘provide support, through a service provider, to any refugees who are resettled in PNG’, but Southalan … Read More >>

Concerns over “enhanced screening”

posted on July 8, 2013

ALHR wrote to the Prime Minister, raising several concerns about the current procedures for assessing the protection needs of people who travel to Australia by boat.

Law Reform Commission native title inquiry

posted on June 28, 2013

ALHR commended the Government’s proposed reference to Australian Law Reform Commission to examine and report on issues about native title. ALHR suggested that the Commission’s inquiry should also examine the operation of extinguishment law and the courts’ use of historical documents.