Category: Articles

With a federal election only months away, the government needs to lift its game over citizens’ liberties and rights if it is to be re-elected. The ballyhooed promise of a National Commission Against Corruption is not being realised, Robodebt repercussions remain unresolved, campaigning internationally against the death penalty is moribund, and a strong parliamentary committee drive for a thorough overhaul of human rights, including a new federal Human Rights Act, languish for want of a formal government response. Maybe the newly sworn in Ministry will help, but it’s really a swift change of attitude, followed by more urgent positive action, that’s needed.

Darwin becomes the corruption capital of Australia this month as a major conference alights on fertile soil in the Top End. In the Far South, politicians are trying to solve judicial dilemmas by changing the deck chairs, when it’s the state’s culture,  secrecy and establishment that lies at the core of most problems. Both jurisdictions need a Human Rights Act to help save the little people from the powers-that-will-always-be. Meanwhile, the federal HRA campaign is quiescent, but boosted by Australians realising how important Julian Assange’s rights and liberty became to most of us. 

A federal parliament committee has urged the Albanese government to enact a Human Rights Act for Australia. The Joint Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights, chaired by Labor MHR Josh Burns, made 17 wide-raning and positive recommendations in a report released on 30 May. Australia needs to protect human rights in law like other liberal democracies do, mount a major national education campaign, and school all public servants to fully consider human rights. Parliament itself needs to scrutinise human rights much more closely, the committee also says.