Human Rights Commission releases its submission on a charter of rights

16/06/2009

The Australian Human Rights Commission has lodged its submission to the National Human Rights Consultation and, perhaps not surprisingly, has recommended that the Australian Parliament should enact a national Human Rights Act.

Commission President, Catherine Branson QC said, "Australia needs a system of government which makes sure that all people, no matter who they are, what they do, or where they live, have a safety net to protect their fundamental human rights, and a Human Rights Act would assist achievement of this aim".

President Branson said a Human Rights Act would work to prevent human rights problems before they occur because:

• parliament would be asked to consider human rights when making new laws;

• the Australian Government would be required to respect human rights when developing policy, making decisions and delivering services;

• federal courts and tribunals would have to take human rights into account when interpreting laws;

• if a federal court found that a law was inconsistent with human rights, Parliament would be notified and required to respond; and

• individuals whose human rights were breached would be able to seek remedies.

View the submission>

**16 June 2009 **