New law provides remedy to fix rights breaches

An amended Human Rights Act for the Australian Capital Territory, tabled in September 2023, contains nation-leading clauses to ensure ’No Rights Without Remedy’ can become a model for a possible federal Human Rights Act in future. Celebrating the 20th anniversary of Australia’s first HR Act, the nation’s first Human Rights Minister, Tara Cheyne, has introduced changes in the ACT so that citizens from 2024 can seek formal conciliation if there is an alleged breach of their rights by the bureaucracy, which has a positive duty whenever possible to act consistently with human rights.  She also praised CLA and Chris Stamford for our work in helping to make positive change happen,

CLA calls for ‘No Rights Without Remedy’ HR Act

CLA’s submission calling for a Human Rights Act for Australia, including ensuring there are ‘No Rights Without Remedy’, has been published on the parliament website (Sub No 51). The 31-page, easy-read submission has met with widespread praise for its comprehensiveness and how it marries the need for a national ethical infrastructure, ensures a fair go for both poor and rich, and also melds with the wellbeing Budget principle of delivering long-term improvement in the lives of citizens.

National digital ID to fail as before: Clarke

The newest attempt to put your id on the skids and turn your ego into a moniker to sigh for, aka your National Identity Profile, is likely to launch this year.  Reportedly Finance Minister Katy Gallagher is readying your cyborg number for tattooing: will you stand up and be counted?  Do we combine to nip in the bud this bid to perpetuate Anthony ‘Albo’ Albanese as Aussie 0000000001? Prof Roger Clarke opines.

Swastika is an image, misuse is the problem

Jurisdictions throughout Australia are hell-bent on banning symbols they don’t like, when it is way the symbol or sign is used rather than the image itself that is the problem. CLA made this point in a submission to a parliamentary process in the ACT, pointing out that there are thousands of signs, symbols, gestures, chants that could – and do, at times – give offence when misused.