Here is a selection of the week’s top Australian human rights news stories:
- An Abbott Government would discontinue Australia’s Human Rights Framework, Australia’s UN Security Council candidacy and funding for law and justice programs in Africa as part of a program to reduce spending and ‘pressure on interest rates’: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/liberals-to-slash-rudds-pet-projects/story-e6frg6nf-1225894772339 and http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/scrap-un-security-council-bid-abbott-20100720-10itr.html
- UN queries decline in successful refugee applications in Australia despite deteriorating conditions in Afghanistan: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/07/21/2960446.htm
- Campaign to promote awareness of human trafficking and slavery: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/07/16/2956162.htm
- Early closure of the electoral roll and refusal to facilitate online enrolment a blight on Australia’s system of representative democracy, leaving up to 1.4 million citizens disenfranchised: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/electoral-roll-makes-a-mockery-of-election-20100718-10fwb.html
- Asylum-seeker policy is ‘confounding and deflating’ and needs to be reformulated with an emphasis on compassion, humanity and dignity: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/australia-can-have-stronger-borders-and-a-bigger-heart-20100718-10fwa.html
- Next Australian Government should prioritise alleviation of Indigenous disadvantage and Aboriginal empowerment, including through reparations to the Stolen Generations, repayment of Stolen Wages, native title overhaul, Treaty negotiations, reform of the NT Intervention, and implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/stories/s2955762.htm
- Gag on Indigenous activist through parole conditions a violation of the rights to freedom of expression and association: http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/article/2010/07/20/155791_news.html
- Australia should adopt a principled, consistent, coherent and concrete approach to human rights in foreign affairs and international relations: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/time-to-practise-what-we-preach-on-human-rights-20100720-10jgy.html and http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/running-up-the-white-flag-on-foreign-affairs-20100720-10jk6.html
- NGOs and Australian Human Rights Commission make submissions on human rights and equality in Australia to the UN Human Rights Council: http://www.starobserver.com.au/news/2010/07/21/report-to-united-nations-make-gay-marriage-legal-in-australia/28472
