“Australia needs a bill of rights to to reclaim its gold medal reputation for free speech and human rights”, according to acclaimed media lawyer Geoffrey Robertson. “Free speech has become expensive speech” he said in an interview ahead of an address in Sydney to an audience including the heads of Australia’s major media and legal firms. “Bill of Rights” Article in the Sydney Morning Herald on-line 28 August 2007.
Extract taken from the message that Russell Crowe left in the National Trust time capsule, to be opened in 25 years:
“My fervent hope for this country is that we mature enough to have our own Bill of Human Rights and a constitution that protects the rights of individuals as we understand those rights should be. Rights that Australians don’t currently have.”
Good on you, Russell
Taken from The Bar Association’s news and current awareness bulletin Inbrief 27/07/2007
The Bar Association resolved on 4 May 2006 to support the attorney
general’s call for a community consultation with respect to a charter of
human rights for NSW. It sought from its Human Rights Committee an
options paper considering the models that are available and which one
the committee recommended. Read the committee’s options paper
…
THIS EVENT WAS FULLY BOOKED
Lord Robert Walker of the House of Lords is in Australia for other human rights activities and has very kindly agreed to address our forum. We have asked him to reflect on his experience of human rights under the Human Rights Act 1998 (UK) and he is willing to take questions. This was his only public event in Sydney.
Date: Tuesday 21 August, Venue: Gilbert + Tobin, Level 37, 2 Park Street Sydney
Can a Human Rights Charter make a difference? Presentation from Lord Robert Walker at the forum
The W.A. Attorney General Jim McGinty announced on 3 May 2007 a proposal to develop a WA Human Rights Act. Please visit their web page to view the Attorney General’s Draft Human Rights Bill, Media Release and other relevant documentation.
Opinion piece on WA draft Bill on ABC website by Fred Chaney
The ALP Conference in April 2007, approved a motion for public consultation of a Federal Charter of Human Rights. This discussion generated the following articles in the Sydney Morning Herald.
Former Premier of NSW Bob Carr said in the Sydney Morning Herald on April 30, 2007: “Democracy thrives in a free press and politics, not in the judiciary”
to which Susan Ryan replied in letters to the Editor on May 1, 2007: “Litany of voices tells of common law failures to protect human rights”
“Harmony Lost: Why Multicultural Australia Needs a Human Rights Act in the Era of Anti-Terror.”
Date and Time: 6:30-8:00 pm, Wednesday 16 May
Location: Level 1, 79 Myrtle Street, Chippendale, NSW
Speakers:
Robin Banks, Chief Executive Officer of PIAC and Director of PILCH
Dr Danielle Celemarjer, Director of Global Studies at the University of Sydney.
Professor George Williams, Director of Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law.
Suraya Turk, Deputy Chair of the Youth Advisory Council of New South Wales
Details and registration: nswaia@amnesty.org.au
Australian Democrats press release on 26 April comments on a worrying trend to to simplify and sensationalise the debate on a bill of rights by both major parties.
An article by Ross Fitzgerald in The Australian Opinion commenting on a Charter of Rights for NSW.
The NSW Charter Group of Human Rights was launched at Parliament House on Monday 16 April by Mr Bob Debus, former Attorney General of NSW with Prof. Larissa Behrendt and Prof. George Williams also speaking. Comments made at the launch will be posted soon.
Opinion piece in the Sydney Morning Herald, 17 April 2007 “Rights shouldn’t rely on government whim” by Prof. Behrendt.
See also Opinion piece in the Sydney Morning Herald, 16 April 2007 “A dead fish in a sea of red tape“ by Paul Sheehan.