Human rights not on the Rudd Team Jellyback’s agenda

Adam Schwab comments in Crikey of 25 February, 2010 on media reports that the Attorney Generals proposal for Australia to adopt a human rights act has been widely opposed in cabinet.Covering the same story in todays SMH,  Philip Coorey writes that while no final decison has been made there is little prospect of an act being adopted.

The apparent reason for this oppostion is the specious argument that such an act would shift power from the executive to the judiciary; the line being peddled by former conservative politicians like John Howard and Bob Carr.

Amazing that this is not an issue elsewhere in the world!  Looks like Australia will remain the only democratic country in the world that doesn’t have full legal protection for what is right and fair.

Refer also to another relevant piece in todays Crikey by Mark Blumer, president of the Australian Lawyers Alliance: “Abbott’s Muslim comment shows the need for a Human Rights Act”.