26 October 2014
Australia’s Human Rights Commissioner, Tim Wilson, is conducting a national consultation about how effectively we protect people’s human rights and freedoms in Australia. Consultations will be held across Australia between October and December 2014.
The purpose of the consultation is to identify:
. ‘how well rights and freedoms are protected in Australia’
. examples of legislation, policies and practices by governments that ‘unduly restrict the exercise of human rights and freedoms’, and
. what is being done, and what more should be done, to promote a culture of respect for rights and responsibilities’.
The particular ‘freedoms’ or rights that are the focus of the consultations are:
. freedom of opinion or expression
. freedom of thought, conscience or religious worship
. freedom of association, and
. property rights.
Information from Rights and Responsibilities 2014 will be used to inform the priorities of the Human Rights Commissioner moving forward, as well as a public Report. The Report will identify the key issues raised during the consultation, identify best practice initiatives to promote human rights and freedoms and make recommendations for ‘advancing the protection and promotion of human rights and freedoms in Australia’.
How can you participate?
. Read the Discussion Paper
. Attend a consultation, or encourage clients to attend consultations
. Complete the online survey
. Make a submission, or contribute to the NACLC National Human Rights Network submission.
Information about all of these is available here: https://www.humanrights.gov.au/rights-responsibilities-201
If you have questions about Rights and Responsibilities 2014 you can contact:
Australian Human Rights Commission: mailto:rights2014@humanrights.gov.au or 02 9284 9600