Edition 127 • April 2017
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ANNUAL DINNERS / Announcing keynote speakers Kirstie Parker and Professor Andrea Durbach
We're very excited to announce the keynote speakers for our Human Rights Fundraising Dinners. In Melbourne Indigenous leader, Kirstie Parker will join us and in Sydney, we welcome human rights luminary, Professor Andrea Durbach. We hope you can join us for what is sure to be a great night! Get your tickets here.
Melbourne: Friday 19 May
Sydney: Friday 26 May
LGBTI RIGHTS / Tasmania apologises for unjust anti-LGBT criminal laws
Tasmanian Premier Will Hodgman has apologised to people charged under Tasmania’s previous laws that criminalised homosexuality. The apology was an important acknowledgement of the injustice of these old laws.
REFUGEES / Manus attacks show Turnbull must immediately evacuate the centre and bring the men to safety in Australia
The terrifying and violent attack on the men in the Manus Island regional processing centre is further proof that Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull must immediately evacuate the camp and bring the men to safety in Australia.
OPINION / Mandatory jail terms are not the way to cut crime
Mandatory jail terms are a blunt and costly way to reduce crime. The Coalition should abandon their proposed plan and start working on policies that will actually prevent crime from happening in the first place writes Hugh de Kretser in the Herald Sun.
WOMEN'S RIGHTS / NSW a step closer to ensuring women can safely and privately access abortion clinics
A bill has been introduced into the New South Wales parliament to protect the privacy, safety and dignity of women accessing reproductive health services.
#BRINGTHEMHERE / Turnbull Government urged to reunite families torn apart by offshore detention
HRLC’s Daniel Webb traveled to Canberra with the daughter of a man being held indefinitely on Manus Island, despite being found to be a refugee, to ask politicians to reunite her family, who have been separated for three and a half years by the government’s offshore detention policies.
JUSTICE 4 REFUGEES / On Manus and Nauru we can’t sit back and hope for leadership from our politicians
On Palm Sunday thousands marched around the country to demand justice for refugees and those who’ve sought asylum. This speech was delivered by Daniel Webb in Melbourne.
AUDIO / Human Rights in the Age of Trump
An audio recording of HRLC's Michelle Bennett in conversation with Human Rights Watch Deputy Executive Director, Iain Levine is now online.
YOUTH JUSTICE / Victorian Government plans to keep kids in maximum security adult prison months after repairs to youth justice centre completed
The government told the Supreme Court last December that its sole justification for locking kids up in a maximum security adult prison was the lack of capacity due to the damage at the Parkville youth justice facility. Yet last week the government admitted that even when those 60 beds are fully repaired next month, it will continue to keep kids at Barwon until August or September.
WOMEN'S RIGHTS / New NT abortion law an important step forward for women’s health but further reform needed
While the Northern Territory Government has passed the Termination of Pregnancy Law Reform Bill, the bill does not go far enough. NT must fully decriminalise abortion and respect women as competent decision makers.
BUSINESS & HUMAN RIGHTS
Human rights groups call out corporation’s association with abuse on Nauru and Manus Island
A new report by Amnesty exposes how Spanish multinational Ferrovial and its Australian subsidiary Broadspectrum are making vast profits operating Australia’s abusive offshore processing centres on Nauru and Manus Island.
UNITED NATIONS / The pros and cons of Australia’s bid for UN Human Rights Council membership
The video and audio recording of Emily Howie in conversation with Phil Lynch, Director of the International Service for Human Rights and Lucy McKernan from the Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, is now online.
HUMAN RIGHTS CHARTER Victorian Charter win on fair hearing rights for unrepresented litigants
In a recent Victorian decision, a mother and daughter, Betty and Maria Matsoukatidou, won an important Supreme Court Human Rights Charter case on the fair hearing and equality obligations owed by courts to self-represented litigants, and in particular those with learning disabilities.
18C / Senate rejects the Coalition’s bill to water down the Racial Discrimination Act
The HRLC welcomed the senate’s rejection of proposed changes to section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act. Adrianne Walters appeared before a senate inquiry and raised serious concerns over the government’s bill to water down both the wording and objective test in section 18C.
GOOD READ / Another day, another arrest, in the Northern Territory
Julian R Murphy from the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency wrote a great piece in The Age about the High Court challenge brought by NAAJA and the HRLC against punitive alcohol lock up laws.
AUSTRALIAN CASE SUMMARIES
Victorian Supreme Court rules that courts have fair hearing and equality obligations to assist self-represented litigants
Matsoukatidou v Yarra Ranges Council [2017] VSC 61 (28 February 2017)
Victorian Supreme Court awards damages for business-related losses "in consequence of" racial discrimination
Obudho v Patty Malones Bar Pty Ltd [2017] VSC 28 (9 February 2017)
INTERNATIONAL CASE SUMMARIES
English Court finds that direct contact between children and transgender mother not in their best interests considering exclusion from ultra-Orthodox Jewish community if allowed
J v B [2017] EWFC 4 (20 January 2017)
NOTICE BOARD
EVENT / Human Rights Arts and Film Festival
The HRLC is pleased to once again support the Human Rights Arts and Film Festival. This year marks HRAFF's 10th birthday and to celebrate they have a great program lined up.
JOB / Justice Connect - Legal Administrator
Justice Connect Homeless Law are seeking a Legal Administrator. Homeless Law is Justice Connect’s specialist service for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
JOB / President - Australian Human Rights Commission
Applications are sought for appointment to the statutory position of President of the Australian Human Rights Commission.
JOB / Principal Research Officer - Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights
Parliament of Australia are seeking a Principal Research Officer who will be responsible for major research and writing tasks supporting the work of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights.
JOB / Communications Coordinator - SNAICC
SNAICC- National Voice for our Children, Australia’s national peak body representing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, is seeking an experienced communications coordinator.
JOB / Criminal Lawyer - North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency
NAAJAs Darwin Criminal Section has a vacancy for a Criminal Lawyer. NAAJA provides legal aid for Indigenous people in the Top End of the NT.
HRLC IN THE MEDIA
The Conversation Hour: Children in Jail
Shahleena Musk joined Jon Faine, Vincent Schiraldi and Julie Edwards to discuss the issues with Victoria's youth justice system.
Lawyers to argue holding children in Barwon adult jail breaches human rights
Hugh de Kretser tells The Guardian that children do not belong in adult maximum security jails.
Premier sorry for Tas anti-gay convictions
Lee Carnie speaks with Sky News about Tasmanian Premier Will Hodgman's apology to people previously convicted under the state's historic and now-defunct anti-gay laws.
Turnbull government reverses Myanmar stance to co-sponsor UN resolution on Rohingya Muslims
Emily Howie speaks with the Sydney Morning Herald about the government reversing its opposition to an international investigation into atrocities against Rohingya Muslims.
Barwon prison: Teen offender reveals toll of being in Victoria’s most secure adult jail
Alina Leikin speaks with the Herald Sun about our case to prevent any children being held at or sent to Barwon.
No one safe at Manus detention centre, refugees say
Daniel Webb speaks with the Sydney Morning Herald after violent Manus Island attack.
Ethnic minority and legal groups concerned over Racial Discrimination Act changes
The Guardian covered Adrianne Walters appearance at the senate inquiry on 18C.
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