Civil and Political Rights

Australia must act to protect human rights in Papua: Joint letter from HRLC and Human Rights Watch (28 Nov 2011)

The Australian Government should take a leadership role in promoting and protecting human rights in the troubled Indonesian province of West Papua say two leading human rights organizations in a Joint Letter to the Foreign Minister, the Hon Kevin Rudd MP. Ahead of the 50th anniversary this Friday of the first raising of the West [...]

Comments by police top brass highlight the need for independent investigations into police shootings

Joint Media Release from Federation of Community Legal Centres and the Human Rights Law Centre 2 May 2011 Last night’s fatal police shooting in St Kilda exposes the need for the independent investigation of police shootings and highlights the pitfalls of a media-unit lead response, say legal and human rights groups. “This is an extremely [...]

Australia has Legal Obligation to Implement Key Human Rights Reforms (1 April 2011)

The Australian Government has a legal obligation to implement key human rights reforms, according to a new submission from the Human Rights Law Centre [submission and annexure]. The submission to the Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department considers each of 145 recommendations made to Australia by the international community during Australia’s Universal Periodic Review before the UN Human [...]

Towards a Tasmanian Charter of Human Rights (3 Dec 2010)

On 20 October 2010, the Tasmanian Government released a ‘Directions Paper’ proposing a Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities for Tasmania.  The Government is seeking responses to the paper by 14 January 2011. The HRLRC has prepared a comprehensive submission, Towards a Tasmanian Charter of Human Rights, which recommends that a Tasmanian Charter have the [...]

HRLRC and GetUp! Case Restores Right to Vote to Over 100,000 Australians (6 August 2010)

In an historic decision, the High Court has struck down legislation which resulted in the early close of the electoral rolls and denied over 100,000 Australians the right to vote. The decision is a landmark victory for representative democracy, political participation and accountable government. The case was a constitutional challenge to the validity of changes to [...]

Voting Rights: HRLRC and GetUp! Action in High Court (23 July 2010)

On 23 July 2010, the HRLRC and GetUp! announced proposed action in the High Court of Australia to promote and protect voting rights for disadvantaged groups. The case is a constitutional challenge to the validity of changes to the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 made by the Electoral and Referendum Amendment (Electoral Integrity and Other Measures) [...]

Universal Periodic Review: Joint NGO Report on Australia (12 July 2010)

Australia is to be reviewed by the UN Human Rights Council through the Universal Periodic Review process in January 2011. A coalition of 68 NGOs - coordinated by the Human Rights Law Resource Centre, Kingsford Legal Centre and the National Association of Community Legal Centres - has submitted a 5 page Report to the UN Human Rights Council [...]

ICCPR: Update on Australia to Human Rights Committee (7 July 2010)

On 2 April 2009, the UN Human Rights Committee adopted Concluding Observations in respect of Australia’s compliance with its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. On 6 July 2010, the Human Rights Law Resource Centre made a Follow-Up Submission on Implementation of the Human Rights Committee’s Concluding Observations on Australia.  The submission [...]

Enhancing Democracy: A Human Rights-Based Approach to Electoral Reform (Dec 2009)

On 3 December 2009, the Centre made a Submission in response to the Australian Government’s Green Paper on electoral reform. The submission argues that Australia’s electoral system should reflect and implement Australia’s international human rights obligations, in particular by protecting and promoting the right to vote, freedom of expression, the right to participate in public [...]

Police Powers: Summary Offences and Search Legislation Must be Amended to Ensure Human Rights Compatibility (Nov 2009)

The Victorian Government has introduced the Summary Offences and Control of Weapons Acts Amendment Bill, which will provide police with broad new powers to randomly search people in designated areas without any requirement that police officers have a reasonable suspicion of wrongdoing; to strip search people pre-arrest; and to move people on the basis of a [...]

ICCPR: UN Human Rights Committee releases Concluding Observations on Australia (April 2009)

The UN Human Rights Committee has released its Concluding Observations following a review of Australia’s compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.  The Committee’s recommendations on Australia are the first since 2000 and an important test for the Rudd Government in light of its Security Council bid and its stated commitment to [...]

ICCPR: NGO Reports for UN Human Rights Committee Review of Australia (March 2009)

The UN Human Rights Committee will review the state of human rights in Australia in March 2009 in New York. On 16 and 23 March, the Committee will be briefed by a coalition of leading Australian human rights organisations, including the Human Rights Law Resource Centre, the National Association of Community Legal Centres and Amnesty International.  [...]

ICCPR: Draft General Comment on First Optional Protocol (Oct 2008)

During its 92nd and 93rd sessions held in March and July 2008 respectively, the Human Rights Committee initiated the drafting of a new General Comment on States parties’ obligations under the first Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The Committee has sought comments on the Draft General Comment from interested [...]

ICCPR: Major NGO Report on Australia to UN Human Rights Committee (Sept 2008)

In September 2008, the Human Rights Law Resource Centre, together with the National Association of Community Legal Centres and Kingsford Legal Centre, submitted a major NGO report to the Human Rights Committee regarding Australia. The report, Freedom, Respect, Equality, Dignity: Action – NGO Submission to the Human Rights Committee [PDF] [Word], was compiled with the assistance of substantial [...]

Voting Rights: Enfranchising People Experiencing Homelessness and Imprisonment (July 2008)

In July 2008, the Human Rights Law Resource Centre, together with the PILCH Homeless Persons’ Legal Clinic and the Victorian Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders, made a Submission to the Parliament of Victoria Electoral Matters Committee Inquiry into Voter Participation and Informal Voting. The submission examines and discusses the following issues: the right to [...]

Human Rights Briefing Paper to Sir Nigel Rodley, UN Human Rights Committee (Feb 2007)

In February 2007, the HRLRC, together with the National Association of Community Legal Centres and Rights Australia, prepared a Briefing Paper on Key Human Rights Issues for Sir Nigel Rodley of the UN Human Rights Committee.  Sir Nigel visited Australia from 22 – 28 February 2007. The Briefing Paper considers a range of contemporary human [...]