http://www.humanrightsact.com.au/2008 Sun, 28 Dec 2008 01:50:01 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en In his Opinion Piece "Judges have their place" of December 27,2008 , Mike Steketee, National affairs editor of the Australian, concludes by saying that whether or not Australia ends up with human rights charter, the protection of rights in our present system has become too centralised and unbalanced needs improvement. ... http://www.humanrightsact.com.au/2008/2008/12/28/giving-all-australians-a-fair-go/ The Human Rights Law Resource Centre (HRLRC), in conjunction with leading Australian law firm Allens Arthur Robinson, has produced a comprehensive report to enable individuals and organisations to participate in the National Human Rights Consultation in an informed and evidence-based way. The report, "The National Human Rights Consultation: Engaging in the ... http://www.humanrightsact.com.au/2008/2008/12/28/the-national-human-rights-consultation-engaging-in-the-debate/ Critics of a charter of rights misrepresent the nature of our political system, writes John Warhurst in Australian Policy Online.  REASON rarely prevails when a public debate generates more heat than light. The bill of rights debate is a case in point, with a prominent critic like Paul Kelly even claiming ... http://www.humanrightsact.com.au/2008/2008/12/18/159/ Speaking today at the United Nations Association of Australia Conference celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the Signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Attorney General, The Hon Robert McClelland MP, launched the National Human Rights Consultation. More: For more details refer to new National Human Rights Consultation website. The announcement by ... http://www.humanrightsact.com.au/2008/2008/12/10/attorney-general-launches-human-rights-consultations/ Writing in the Sydney Morning Herald on December 5, 2008 Richard Ackland reflects on the federal Attorney-Generals anticipated announcement of nationwide consultations on the formulation of an Australian charter of rights and then proceeds to debunk several of the arguments being advanced against such a charter by its opponents. Read ... http://www.humanrightsact.com.au/2008/2008/12/09/charter-foes-tilting-at-scary-straw-monsters/ Kep Enderby, former member of federal parliament, Gough Whitlam's last attorney- general and a retired NSW Supreme Court judge writes to express his concern at the lack of balance and outright error in the Australians editorial "Charter of wrongs" of December 4, 2008. Also featured in todays letters page of The ... http://www.humanrightsact.com.au/2008/2008/12/05/power-will-not-transfer-from-elected-politicians-to-judges/ ‘Who's afraid of Human Rights?' is the title of Julian Burnside gave to the 28th Sir Richard Kirby Lecture he delivered at Wollongong University, 25 September 2008. Sir Richard Kirby was the first president of the Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Commission and, in his introduction, Julian drew together the two strands-industrial ... http://www.humanrightsact.com.au/2008/2008/11/27/whos-afraid-of-human-rights/ A new report, published by the British Institute of Human Rights to mark ten years of the UK Human Rights Act and 60 years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, demonstrates that the HRA is protecting vulnerable people from abuse and poor treatment in public services. The report highlights examples ... http://www.humanrightsact.com.au/2008/2008/11/27/new-report-shows-uk-human-rights-act-protects-vulnerable-people-and-improves/ While national leadership fails, the states and territories are forging ahead, leading us to a situation where various governments of the federated provinces recognise and guarantee the human rights of their citizens, but the government of the federated nation does not. Simon Rice, Director of Law Reform and Social Justice at the ... http://www.humanrightsact.com.au/2008/2008/11/27/just-do-it-leadership-and-a-national-human-rights-charter/ What I would like to see is a new approach to making law and policy that doesn't ignore the human rights picture. I would like to see the legislature focus on solving existing human rights problems and preventing human rights problems from happening in the future. Read the full opinion piece ... http://www.humanrightsact.com.au/2008/2008/11/27/national-consultation-and-legislative-bill-of-rights-essential-to-best-serve-human-rights/