Protecting Human Rights Conference 2009

This event that will discuss developments in the legislative protection of human rights in Australia. The conference will consider the National Human Rights Consultation, and provide an update of developments in the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities, the ACT Human Rights Act and in NSW human rights law.

Leading Australian and international speakers will consider the National Consultation process, and what reforms it might lead to in Australia.

The conference will also address the constitutional dialogue model that is a feature of the human rights statutes in many countries of the British Commonwealth. Finally, the conference will consider some crucial further challenges in relation to human rights protection, including: the rights of Indigenous people; the protection of economic, social and cultural rights; and the intersection between human rights and religion.

Confirmed speakers include:

Professor Larissa Behrendt, Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning (UTS)
The Hon Catherine Branson QC, President, Australian Human Rights Commission
Professor Andrew Byrnes, University of New South Wales
Professor Hilary Charlesworth AM and Renuka Thilagaratnam, Australian National University
Associate Professor Andrea Durbach, University of New South Wales
Associate Professor Simon Evans, Melbourne Law School
Professor Stephen A Gardbaum, University of California, Los Angeles
Mary Kostakidis, National Human Rights Consultation committee member
The Hon Keith Mason AC, Visiting Professorial Fellow, University of New South Wales
Phil Lynch, Human Rights Law Resource Centre
Dr John Tobin, Melbourne Law School
Associate Professor Kristen Walker, University of Melbourne

2 October 2009
Domain Theatre, Art Gallery of New South Wales
Art Gallery Road
The Domain
Sydney CBD

Conference brochure