UPDATE: Submissions to the Human Rights Committee have now closed but you can check out GetUp’s official submission here.
This government consultation is a once in a lifetime chance to call for a Human Rights Act to permanently protect human rights in Australia.
Make your submission below – it can be as long or as short as you wish. We have included some handy talking points below help you out, but try to put your thoughts in your own words, and feel free to talk about how human rights protection might affect you.
You might not consider everyday issues like education, health and housing as human rights issues – but they can all be protected under a Human Rights Act, and more (see below for further suggested talking points).
Here are a few points you may like to mention in your email submission:
A Human Rights Act is an essential part of a democracy. In fact, every other democratic nation in the world already has human rights protection.
A Human Rights Act will protect the rights of all Australians, including marginalised, disadvantaged and vulnerable minorities.
It will give Australians the chance to set down our values and our vision for our society, and make sure that the values that we hold dear – freedom, dignity, respect, equality and fairness – apply to every person in Australia.
It will encourage better decision making by requiring government to take human rights into account when making decisions. After all, we shouldn’t have to wait until human rights are violated before we can take action.
It will work to protect human rights regardless of who is in government, regardless of the politics of the day, and even in an environment of fear or upheaval.
It will ensure that Parliament can’t overlook human rights considerations if it wants to pass controversial laws on areas like police powers, voting, sedition, workplace relations, privacy, freedom of speech, the rights of Indigenous people, counter-terrorism or internet censorship.
It will help Australia meet its obligations under the UN treaties we have signed, and give us credibility when we talk about international human rights issues.
It will create a human rights ‘culture’ by giving us a standard to judge the way decisions are made in all areas, and by promoting a climate of mutual respect and understanding in Australia.
It will remind all of us that in a strong democratic society, human rights also entail responsibilities: to respect the rights of others, to observe the law, and to live our lives mindful of our common humanity.
Click here to read the Attorney-General’s Privacy Statement regarding your submission.
Your Rights, Your Say
Join a GetTogether now!
GetTogether for Rights
Join thousands of Australians meeting across the country on June 11th to discuss human rights protection – find an Our Rights GetTogether near you now!
Join a GetTogether now!
What rights might be protected by Australia’s Human Rights Act?
The right to:
Education;
Freedom of expression;
Freedom from interference with privacy;
Freedom from discrimination;
Right to equality before the law;
Right to education;
Right to adequate living standards;
Freedom of association;
Right to just and favorable conditions of work;
Freedom of thought, belief and religion;
Protection from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; and
Rights of children to be protected from maltreatment, neglect, abuse or degradation.
Click here to see examples of more rights that could be protected.
Human Rights Act in practice
We have some good information on how a Human Rights Act will operate in practice from Victoria and the ACT, as well as the UK, who have all introduced statutory protection of human rights.
A Victorian woman injured her left hand. If she doesn’t receive treatment, she’ll have to have her hand amputated. She’s not considered a priority for treatment because she’s over 50 years of age. The Charter of Human Rights is being used to argue the woman should have prompt access to treatment on the basis of a right to non-discrimination (on the basis of age) and other rights.
In the UK, a husband and wife had been married for 65 years. He was unable to walk unassisted, and relied upon his wife for mobility. She was blind, and relied upon her husband as her eyes. The husband fell ill and was moved into a residential care facility. The wife requested to move with him, but was denied on the basis that she did not meet the entry criteria of the facility. She successfully argued for her admission on the basis of the right to family life.
For more stories that show how a Human Rights Act can make a difference to ordinary people, click here.
Need more information?
Click here for more detailed information about human rights protection.
Human Rights Near You
The Government is conducting human rights consultations across the nation – click here to find one near you and have your say on human rights.