Australian Human Rights Commission
e-bulletin
June 2010
Welcome
Welcome to the June issue of the Australian Human Rights Commission's monthly e-bulletin, where we will keep you up-to-date with our latest programs, projects and news. Please forward to friends and colleagues who have an interest in human rights and social justice issues.
In this e-bulletin
- Bills pave the way to better human rights protections
- New human rights law library ensures Commission’s human rights law resources reach a wider audience
- International conference on educating for human rights, peace and interculture dialogue
- See below for more...
Bills pave the way to better human rights protections
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Professor George Williams from the University of New South Wales addresses the Australian Human Rights Roundtable in Sydney in June. |
The Commission welcomed the introduction into federal Parliament early this month of the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Bill and the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) (Consequential Provisions) Bill.
“The Bills will focus attention on progress in implementing and respecting our human rights obligations under all seven major human rights treaties,” Commission President Catherine Branson QC, said.
“The new Joint Parliamentary Committee proposed in the Bills has the potential to open up a broader dialogue on human rights at the heart of our democracy, including through its ability to conduct inquiries into significant human rights matters referred to it by the Attorney-General,” Ms Branson said.
“Over time, it will also help to ensure that government and the Parliament consider human rights issues upfront and as a necessary requirement for any new law, rather than in an ad hoc way after the event.”
The Commission welcomed the Bills’ requirements for all legislation to be accompanied by a statement of compatibility with Australia’s international human rights obligations, and the appointment of the Commission President to the Administrative Review Council.
The Commission also recently hosted a roundtable of leading thinkers, non-government organisations and academics to discuss the Human Rights Framework and developments in human rights law and policy in Australia.
New human rights law library ensures Commission’s resources reach a wider audience
The Commission’s human rights law resources can now be accessed as a one-stop shop on Austlii's Australian Human Rights Law Library.
“The Commission’s material on the Austlii home page (which is also on our website) means it will be accessible to the 800,000 to 850,000 students, lawyers, and others who are estimated to use Austlii daily,” President Branson said.
“In addition to Commission decisions from 1985-2001, the library links directly to our reports to federal Parliament about complaints by individuals of human rights breaches by the Commonwealth.”
The library will also assist practitioners to link directly to the Commission’s flagship legal text, Federal Discrimination Law (FDL), which provides a detailed overview of relevant statutory provisions and judgements, as well as notes on practice, procedure and damages.
An updated FDL, including summaries of the latest federal discrimination cases, should be available on both the Austlii site and the Commission’s website by the end of June at: www.humanrights.gov.au/legal/FDL/index.html
The Australian Human Rights Law Library is at: www.austlii.edu.au/au/special/hrights/
International conference on educating for human rights, peace and interculture dialogue
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Human rights education experts, practitioners and those simply wanting to learn more, have a rare opportunity to come together at the International Conference on Educating for Human Rights, Peace and Interculture Dialogue, being held at the Parramatta Campus of the University of Western Sydney between 4-6 November 2010.
Organised in response to the UN World Programme for Human Rights Education to advance human rights education, the Conference will feature workshops and world class speakers who will focus on the contribution of human rights culture to the good functioning of civil society.
The Conference will also highlight key trends and achievements in human rights education and will aim to secure greater commitment for future human rights education.
Papers can be submitted up until 9 July 2010 and registration closes on 22 October. (Early bird registration ends on 1 October 2010).
The Australian Human Rights Commission is a supporter of the Conference with Commission President Catherine Branson, delivering a keynote address.
For more information go to: www.humanrightseducationconference2010.com.au
Recent media releases
- Equal Pay for some of our most valuable workers long overdue
(10 June 2010)
- Human rights bills should strengthen protections for all Australians
(2 June 2010) - Workplace mental health guide launched (27 May 2010)
Recent publications
Recent submissions
- Submission to the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee Inquiry into the Exposure Draft of legislation implementing the
Government’s announced Paid Parental Leave Scheme.
See submission 86 at www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/clac_ctte/paid_parental_leave/submissions.htm
Recent speeches
- Reconciliation Week Seminar Series (28 May)
- Justice Reinvestment: a new strategy to address family violence (19 May)
- Is it Time for a Convention on the Rights of Older People? (6 May)
Recent podcasts
Pod Rights is a series of podcasts looking at different human rights issues over a series of fortnightly installments.
The most recent Pod Rights features Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Elizabeth Broderick, talking to UN Assistant Secretary-General Special Adviser Rachel Mayanja, about the implications of violence against women and the goals of the current United Nations campaign to prevent violence against women, the UNITE campaign.
Go to www.humanrights.gov.au/podcasts/index.html for the audio and transcript.
Subscribe to RSS feeds for Pod Rights at: www.humanrights.gov.au/rss/podrights.xml
Get involved - upcoming events
- June 18: Launch of the Commission's African Australians project
- June 20 – 26: Refugee Week
- June 23: National Press Club Address by Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick- Getting Women off the Bench – A Gender Equality Blueprint for 2010.
- June 26: International Day in Support of Victims of Torture
Access the latest media releases, speeches, opinion pieces through the media centre on the Commission’s website at: www.humanrights.gov.au/about/media/
