UN / Australia on the Human Rights Council

Australia’s first session earlier this year on the Council was dominated by criticism of its indefinite detention of refugees and anti-democratic slide. This session focused on discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, racism, violence against women and the human rights responsibilities of businesses.

UN / Championing LGBTI rights on the world stage

The Australian Government has an opportunity to play a critical role in addressing the violence and discrimination lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people face across the globe, the Human Rights Law Centre told the UN Human Rights Council.

LGBTI RIGHTS / SA Government set to repeal ‘gay panic defence’

The 'gay panic defence' is rooted in discrimination, completely out of step with community standards and has absolutely no justification today. But it may soon be repealed after the South Australian Attorney-General expressed support for its removal.

TRANS RIGHTS / NSW delivers marriage equality for trans people

Transgender people in NSW will now be able to stay married to the person they love when they change the gender on their birth certificate, with the Berejiklian Government passing new laws this month.

TRANS RIGHTS / Queensland removes discriminatory barrier

A small, but significant, change as the Palaszczuk Government removes an unnecessary and discriminatory barrier, which forced married trans people to divorce their spouse in order to change the gender marker on their birth certificate.

HATE CRIMES / NSW introduces broader protections

Every single person has the right to live free from discrimination and violence. These laws are a positive move towards protecting the community from the devastating impacts of hate crime.

WHISTLEBLOWER /  Prosecuted for exposing government wrongdoing

When someone exposes government wrongdoing they should be thanked, not prosecuted. Yet in a frightening move, Attorney-General Christian Porter has approved the criminal prosecution of a former Australian spy and his lawyer.

DEMOCRACY / Parliament votes to introduce new secrecy and espionage offences

A healthy democracy must ensure that steps taken to deal with foreign espionage don’t cripple the democratic processes we should be protecting: our right to communicate freely on political matters, to protest, to hold our government accountable.

HUMAN RIGHTS ACT / Queensland a step closer

Queensland is set to become the third Australian jurisdiction to protect human rights in law after the Palaszczuk Government allocated funding to help administer a Human Rights Act.

MODERN SLAVERY / New Bill lacks teeth

A mandatory reporting scheme is hardly mandatory if there are no consequences for companies that fail to comply. The Government needs to improve the Modern Slavery Bill to ensure businesses can't profit from abuse.

New Zealand High Court finds insulting cartoons did not breach hate speech legislation

Wall v Fairfax New Zealand Limited [2018] NZHC 104

Protecting the right of journalists to cover demonstrations: a win for journalistic information gathering in Europe

Butkevich v Russia (European Court of Human Rights, Chamber, Application No. 5865/07, 13 February 2018)

English family wins privacy case against TV channel which broadcast eviction against their wishes

Ali & Aslam v Channel 5 Broadcast Limited [2018] EWHC 298 (CH)

Malawi's High Court takes human rights approach to HIV transmission cases

E.L (Female) v The Republic (Criminal Case No. 36 of 2016) [2016] MWHC 656 (19 January 2016)

JOB / North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency

NAAJA are seeking a Criminal Solicitor to join their Alice Springs Criminal team. Applications close 8 July.

JOB / Grata Fund

Grata Fund is seeking a Head of Strategic Litigation Development to work with the Executive Director to implement Grata Fund’s vision and strategy for a robust public interest litigation culture. Apply by 23 July.

JOB / Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service

VALS are seeking a Strategic and Operations Officer for their Transitional Housing Project providing support to people released from prison. Applications close 20 July.

EVENT / Human Rights Oration: Towards a Treaty by Prof Megan Davis

The 17th Human Rights Oration will be delivered by Professor Megan Davis, a leading Indigenous voice for change and one of Australia’s most highly regarded lawyers.

Teenager held in solitary confinement sues state government

A young Aboriginal man is suing the Victorian Government for placing him in solitary confinement in an adult prison for three months when he was 16 years old. Ruth Barson spoke to The Age about the case.

Huge win for transgender people facing "cruel" choice

Until now, Queenslanders were forced into a "cruel choice" between divorcing someone they love and having their gender legally,  Anna Brown told Ten Daily.

Abortion advocates urge NSW to 'take next step' after new safe access laws

With the passage of 'safe access zones' in NSW, it's now time to take the next step and remove abortion from the criminal code, Adrianne Walters told SBS News.