27 February 2019
Today we are celebrating
a significant win for human rights – the Queensland Human Rights Act passed through
parliament.
This means that 23 vital human rights including freedom of association
and freedom of expression, the right to education and the right to
humane treatment in detention, will be better protected in Queensland
law.
The Queensland Human Rights Act will have practical and enormous educational impact
in Queensland. It will help to ensure that values like fairness,
equality, respect and compassion – are reflected in government policies
and services. It will also
require government to properly consider and comply with human rights and it
will give people and communities power to hold government to account.
Queensland is now the third Australian jurisdiction with a Human Rights Act
or Charter. Let’s hope that we will have a federal Human Rights Act soon.