Safeguarding human rights, for generations to come
To celebrate International Human Rights Day 2024, Tasmanian MLC Meg Webb writes about the need everywhere, and particularly in her own state, for proper actions to protect and enhance human rights.
Category: Opinion
Why federal human rights wouldn’t ‘entrench racism’
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.
Bike-riding equation comes out negative?
Much-ballyhoed bike ’safety’ claims look somewhat different when subjected to a ‘whole-of-life(style)’ analysis by dedicated research Colin Clarke. Do helmets lead to immobility and obesity, at a greater cost to public health than accepting accidents will happen whenever you poke your nose into the great outdoors? Why have $15 fines become $240 (when they should be about $35) and become a new way for police abuse by selecting poor citizens for harassment?
Australia poised to do the right thing?
Is the ‘notorious nation’ set to finally do the right thing, and protect its citizens with a Human Rights Act? Journalist Paul Gregoire examines the current situation and 2024-25 prospects for a ‘bill of rights’ that includes accessible, consistent and clear remedies for any breaches by bureaucrats.
Security czars grab more power over spooks
The security czars are playing fast and loose with the spook agencies – and, of course, the Australian people – in a power play occurring around the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security. The end result could be more and deeper secrets kept, less public transparency, writes Paul Gregoire.
Oz needs dedicated wrongful convictions body
Each month produces new stories of judicial errors, forensics misunderstandings, and failures-to-disclose by police and DPPs which amount to a log of systemic errors leading to wrongful convictions. Throughout Australia, there’s a growing call for a Criminal Cases Review Commission. Academics Hamer and Dyer explain the issues.