A perverse approach to religious freedom
Submissions on the second version Christian Porter’s religious discrimination bill are closed, and we await the verdict. The first version of the bill was widely criticised for going too.
The Queensland Human Rights Act: more of the same
Volume 45(1) of the Alternative Law Journal celebrates Australia’s third provincial human rights law, just weeks after it commenced. Queensland’s Human Rights Act 2019 joins – and adopts substantially.
How not to do religious discrimination reform
Public consultation is at the heart of sound law reform. With an issue as complex and sensitive as the Coalition government’s proposed religious discrimination bill, effective public consultation is.
Who says Australia needs a national Human Rights Act?
It’s been a while. It must be time for another crack at a Human Rights Act for Australia. If at first (second, third, fourth, etc.) you don’t succeed, try,.
Trump’s unsophisticated rights rhetoric
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump recently: … called for a new civil rights agenda that includes the right to a safe community, the right to a great education and.
The truth behind ‘Harmony Day’
Who would have thought that Al Grassby would be back in fashion? Attorney-General Christian Porter, it appears. Grassby was Australia’s first community relations commissioner, appointed under the original Racial.
Talking up ‘common law rights’
When the Australian Law Reform Commission published its interim report on its “freedoms” inquiry, I wrote that the government was on the back foot. Attorney-General George Brandis had asked.
Australia and its UN human rights obligations
Attorney-General George Brandis, spoke with host Barrie Cassidy on ABC TV’s Insiders, September 27, 2015. BARRIE CASSIDY: Now this other issue on the UN envoy who postponed a visit.
Plenty of Australia’s laws limit common law freedoms
In its interim report on what Attorney-General George Brandis calls “traditional rights, freedoms and privileges” (common law rights), the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) has given Brandis – and.
Human rights need to inform our public debate
Human rights are largely absent from public policy debate in Australia. Quite simply, human rights don’t matter when public leaders and commentators assess the merits of policy and laws..