Civil Liberties Australia

For the second time, the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute is urging its parliament to pass a Human Rights Act to benefit the citizens of the state. Following a strong recommendation in 2007, the TLRI has released its 2024 Update, calling for MPs to pass a Human Rights Act, for all laws passed by parliament to be compatible with it, and for a ’no rights without remedy’, direct way for Tasmanians to access justice if their rights are breached by bureaucrats.

Four different public inquiries have been investigating problems around how Australia has handled the COVID-19 pandemic. One inquiry only recommends basing further detailed probes into lessons for the future on the basis of the human rights of Australians. The C-19 issue sits alongside key questions generally about whether police, prosecutors and the courts are letting Australia down. It is time for a national inquiry into justice: there has never been one.

Other items in May include:

• Integrity of judges in Australia being questioned 
• Can you believe evidence given in court by police?
• Forensic problems continue to haunt criminal justice system
• It’s ‘women and children’ last in terms of jails
• Police deserve shaming for their naming: SBS program
• States still steal babies from a new generation
• NZ man gets chance to disprove his guilt after 26 years in jail
• Modern slavery continues to increase
• ‘Secret’ hearing by magistrates hit record numbers

Click for a one-column CLArion

Click for a two-column CLArion

Two Quadrant authors are alarmist in claiming that a national human rights Act would ‘entrench racism’ in Australia, leading civil liberties campaigner Dr Kristine Klugman says. It may be threat to the unwarranted privileges of the rich and ‘old white men’, but such an Act would provide a much fairer society with a ‘fair go’ for all, equally.

The tabling date for a major report into Australia’s human rights framework has been postponed by two months, to 30 May 2024. The report, after 14 months' analysis by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights, is expected to detail the full benefits that could accrue by modernising and improving the framework. In particular it is likely to discuss how to avoid more illegal Robodebt claims, ancient fines resurrected by the ATO and similar bureaucratic fiascos. Better empowering citizens in the long run could enhance trust in parliament, politicians, government and Australian democracy itself. Also, in contrasting approaches reported this month, the ATO is planning to take over government digital communications even as another parliamentary committee tries to rein in government IT projects to prevent waste.

How close is Australia to having Human Rights Acts nationwide? Here’s a rundown by CLA President Dr Kristine Klugman. Her status report comes just as the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights is about to recommend a new federal framework for Australia’s national human rights regime. But all states and territories have active groups working to improve citizens' access to a fair go in their own bailiwick.