Housing

Housing Rights: HRLRC Seeks Leave to Intervene in Director of Housing v Sudi (8 Sept 2010)

On 6 September 2010, the Human Rights Law Resource Centre filed an application for leave to make submissions to the Victorian Court of Appeal in the matter of Director of Housing v Sudi.  The matter is an appeal from the decision of Bell J, sitting as President of VCAT, in Director of Housing v Sudi [2010] [...]

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 [...]

ESC Rights: Implementation of the Concluding Observations of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (28 May 2010)

On 28 May 2010, the Centre made a Submission to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade regarding implementation of the 2009 Concluding Observations on Australia by the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.  The Centre’s submission outlines practical steps and measures, including legislative, administrative and financial measures, for the Australian Government to improve [...]

Eviction from Public Housing without Adequate Justification a Breach of Human Rights: VCAT (31 March 2010)

Director of Housing v Sudi [2010] VCAT 328 (31 March 2010) Justice Bell, sitting as President of the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, has held that the Director of Housing acted unlawfully under s 38(1) of the Charter in seeking, without adequate justification, to evict a refugee family from social housing in breach of their [...]

Housing Rights: Submission on the Adequacy of Public Housing in Victoria (Jan 2010)

In January 2010, the Human Rights Law Resource Centre made a Submission to the Victorian Legislative Council Family and Community Development Committee’s inquiry into the adequacy and future directions of public housing in Victoria. The Centre submits that the future direction of public housing requires a holistic rights-based approach from government, based on the legislative [...]

Housing Rights and Homelessness: Towards a Right to Adequate Housing (Nov 2009)

A major report by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Family, Community, Housing and Youth, tabled on 26 November 2009, recommends the enactment of new homelessness legislation which enshrines ‘the right of all Australians to adequate housing’.  The report, Housing the Homeless, contains 15 recommendations aimed at preventing and addressing homelessness in Australia.   [...]

Housing Rights and the Meaning of ‘Public Authority’: Metrowest Housing v Sadi (Oct 2009)

In November 2008, the Centre was granted leave to appear as amicus curiae in a matter concerning the meaning of ‘public authority’ under the Victorian Charter.  This is a question of great significance, as it is public authorities who are bound to act compatibly with and give proper consideration to human rights.  The issue arose [...]

Housing Rights: Submission to Australian Parliament on Homelessness Legislation (Aug 2009)

On 28 August 2009, the Centre made a Submission to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Family, Community, Housing and Youth inquiry into proposed homelessness legislation for Australia.  Homelessness is a human rights issue and is both a cause and a consequence of poverty and other human rights violations.  Therefore, the Centre submitted that [...]

Homelessness: Request for Urgent Action from UN Special Rapporteurs (Nov 2006)

Report to and Request for Action from UN Special Rapporteurs From 31 July to 16 August 2006, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Adequate Housing conducted an official country visit to Australia.  In his Preliminary Observations regarding implementation of the right to adequate housing, the Special Rapporteur noted that there is a ‘serious, [...]