INDIGENOUS RIGHTS / High Court finds use of Northern Territory’s punitive police lock-up powers lawful

The High Court has upheld the use of broad powers in the NT that allow police to lock you up if you are drunk and if they believe you might commit an offence or annoy someone. At a time when we should be trying to reduce the number of Aboriginal people in custody, laws like these are being used thousands of times each year to lock up Aboriginal people in the Territory. Far better and safer options, like the use of 'sobering up shelters', recognise that problem-drinking is best tackled as a community health issue. Time for reform.

EVENT / Human Rights in the Age of Trump: Iain Levine in conversation with Emily Howie

Join our Director of Advocacy and Research, Emily Howie, and Human Rights Watch Deputy Executive Director, Iain Levine as they discuss the protection of human rights at a time of great hostility and even greater need.

ANNUAL DINNER / Tickets now on sale for our Human Rights Dinners

We're excited to announce that our Annual Human Rights Fundraising Dinners will be held in Melbourne on 19 May and in Sydney on 26 May.

Melbourne: Friday 19 May
Sydney: Friday 26 May

FOREIGN POLICY / White Paper submission: Protection of human rights should guide Australia’s foreign policy

Human rights are part and parcel of Australia's national interest. But our Government hasn’t yet ensured that the protection of human rights guides its foreign policy work. Check out the recommendations we made as part of the foreign policy 'White Paper' consultation process.

FOREIGN POLICY / Turnbull urged to push for free media access to Papua during Jakarta visit and adopt safeguards in military cooperation

The Australian Government wants a seat on the UN Human Rights Council, but is it willing to stand up for human rights in our own region? This was put to the test recently when PM Malcolm Turnbull visited Jakarta.

FOREIGN POLICY / Australia falls short on its aim to lead global abolition of the death penalty

Australia’s global advocacy is seriously undermined by the potential for police to actively share information that leads directly to people being put to death. Under current laws, if the Bali 9 case happened again, nothing would prevent the Australian Federal Police from acting in the same way.

LGBTI RIGHTS / Same sex couples in South Australia to have access to IVF and unpaid surrogacy

The South Australian Parliament has passed a law allowing equal access to assisted reproductive treatment and unpaid surrogacy for same-sex couples. The bill removes the last direct legal discrimination against LGBTIQ people from the statute books in South Australia.

EVENT / Seeking Refuge: An evening with Peter Holmes à Court, Alissa Everett and Aziz Muhamat

What makes a person leave their home? How are governments around the world responding? How could Australia respond in a humane manner? Join us for a conversation facilitated by Roj Amedi.

FUNDRAISING EVENT / Tom Ballard’s ‘Stand Up for Mehdi’ comedy gig

Mehdi lived in Iran. He dared to tell some jokes. Those jokes put his life in danger. He had to escape. Now he finds himself trapped on Manus Island. Enjoy a stellar line-up of the Melbourne Comedy Festival’s best comedians and help raise money for the HRLC!

OPINION / Northern Territory abortion law must respect women as capable decision-makers

Women in the Northern Territory are being told that they still can’t be trusted to make decisions about their bodies, writes Adrianne Walters and Robyn Wardle.

EVENT / The pros and cons of Australia’s bid for UN Human Rights Council membership

What are Australia’s chances? How does its human rights record measure up against the competition? How best could Australian human rights advocates utilise an Australian seat on the Council? Join us for a conversation about these topics with Phil Lynch and Lucy McKernan.

AUDIO / Women & Justice: International Women's Day Event

An audio recording of the speech delivered by Marcia Neave AO, a former chair of the Royal Commission into Family Violence and former Judge of the Court of Appeal, Supreme Court of Victoria, at our recent IWD event is now online.

OPINION / The gap grows wider for remote communities struggling with severe overcrowding

To achieve the 'Close the Gap' measures, the federal and territory governments need to engage in genuine dialogue with Aboriginal people. The chronic crisis of overcrowding can only be addressed through a collaborative approach, with a view to ultimately giving control back to Aboriginal communities.

DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS / High Court submission: Tasmanian anti-protest laws unreasonably restrict free speech and protest

Protests have helped secure many of the rights, laws and policies we take for granted. Earlier this month we made submissions to the High Court as part of former Greens Senator Bob Brown's challenge to Tasmania’s anti-protest laws.

HATE SPEECH & 18C / Changes to race hate speech laws send wrong message to community

Proposed changes to the Racial Discrimination Act unveiled by the Australian Government are unnecessary and risk encouraging racist hate speech in the community. Our Executive Director, Hugh de Kretser, said the Government has its priorities wrong.

OPINION / Queensland MPs must seize the moment on abortion

Queensland MPs stand at a crossroads when it comes to the state's abortion laws, but one thing is abundantly clear: the status quo is unacceptable, writes Emily Howie and Kate Marsh.

YOUTH JUSTICE / Victorian response to youth justice incidents headed in wrong direction

The Victorian Government must address the underlying causes of damaging incidents in youth justice centres including staffing and lockdowns, we've told a Parliamentary inquiry.

YOUTH JUSTICE / Kids in Barwon prison only let out of cells for single hour a day - handcuffed

Less then a month before the Supreme Court hears the third legal challenge to the Victorian Government's decision to detain children at the Barwon maximum security adult prison, lawyers are concerned that the use of extreme practices appears to be increasing.

AUSTRALIAN CASE SUMMARIES

Victorian Supreme Court finds decision to detain children in Barwon prison invalid due to failure to consider children's rights

Certain Children by their Litigation Guardian Sister Marie Brigid Arthur v Minister for Families and Children [2016] VSC 796 (21 December 2016)

Victorian Court of Appeal upholds finding that establishment of youth justice centre at Barwon adult prison was unlwaful

Minister for Families and Children v Certain Children by their Litigation Guardian Sister Marie Brigid Arthur [2016] VSCA 343 (29 December 2016)

Police response to Palm Island Aboriginal death in custody ruled racially discriminatory

Wotton v State of Queensland (No 5) [2016] FCA 1457 (5 December 2016)

INTERNATIONAL CASE SUMMARIES

US Court of Appeal halts President Trump's controversial immigration order

LState of Washington & State of Minnesota v Trump No. 2:17-cv-00141 (W.D.Wash. 2017) (9 February 2017)

NOTICE BOARD

JOBS / Justice Connect

Justice Connect is recruiting a Lawyer for its Not For Profit Law division and Principal Lawyer for its Domestic Building Legal Advocacy Service.

EVENT / Human Rights Arts and Film Festival

The HRLC is pleased to once again be supporting the Human Rights Arts and Film Festival. HRAFF is celebrating its 10th birthday and has a great program lined up.

HRLC MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

'Hopelessly weak': Australia slammed for refusing to back UN investigation into Myanmar Rohingya atrocities

Emily Howie tells the Sydney Morning Herald that Australia's position at the UN highlights how ill-prepared the Australian Government is to take a seat on the Human Rights Council.

Royal commission to consider kids on Nauru

Any scrutiny of the Australian government's role in harming innocent children in its care is vital, welcome and overdue, Hugh de Kretser tells News.com.au