Australia has strong sense of human rights and freedoms. Yet, Australia is the only liberal democracy in the world that does not have a national act or charter of rights that explains what people’s basic rights are and how they can be protected. While some states and territories in Australia have their own Human Rights Act, the country lacks a unified federal framework to guarantee these rights.
In March 2023, the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) proposed a model for what a national Human Rights Act might look like, how it could function, and what it would do. This was closely followed by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights launching an inquiry into Australia’s human rights framework, specifically deliberating the possibility of a federal Human Rights Act.
Join us in this enlightening conversation on the need for and the prospects of a national human rights act. We welcome engagement from students, academics, professionals and the general public.