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Human Rights Act for Australia

On 8 October 2009, the National Human Rights Consultation Committee reported on the Australian community's overwhelming support for a Human Rights Act. Four months later, we eagerly await the Government's response.

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Goodbye 2009 - where we’re at

December 2009 marks a year since the Federal Government announced its public consultation on a human rights act for Australia and we're determined to keep it high on their agenda.

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Human rights for Australia blog

Get the low-down from a diversity of Australians and community groups on the human rights consultation and the committee's report - people around Australia are waiting for the Government to Act on it.

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Frank answers your questions

On 14 October 2009, Father Frank Brennan took questions from Amnesty supporters on his experiences as Chair of the National Human Rights Consultation Committee. Watch all three videos.

Amnesty International submission

Amnesty International’s submission to the Human Rights Consultation calls for a Human Rights Act that includes economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights.

The flagpole at Parliament House, Canberra
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Public hearings portal

See our live blog, image and video updates from the National Human Rights Consultation Committee's public hearings, held from Wednesday 1 to Friday 3 July 2009 at Parliament House, Canberra.

Over 10,000 people made the call

From December 2008 to June 2009, over 10,000 people made submissions to the National Consultation process through Amnesty International calling for better human rights protection in Australia.

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Community roundtables

Eyewitness accounts of a couple of the roundtable meetings organised by the Consultation Committee.
- Penrith roundtable - attended by Sophie Peer, Campaign Coordinator
- Canberra roundtable - attended by Andrew Witheford, Government Relations Manager

Human rights protection for some

Human rights are protected better in some parts of Australia than others.
- The Victorian Charter in action - real stories
- Reflections on human rights in Australia on Australia Day 2009

support of a Human Rights Act for Australia at Homebake Festival 2008

Your submissions and your opinions

- Faces of Australia - Perspectives on rights protection from real Australians
- 1 May 2009 - an update on your submissions
- 19 May 2009 - an update on your submissions

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Other organisations

- The world is watching - The UN perspective on Australia's human rights protection
- The human rights community in Australia - What are organisations other than Amnesty thinking about a Human Rights Act?

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“We’ll have what they’re having…”

See our interactive world map for information on other liberal democracies that enjoy human rights protection, and how they do it.

See the map

Congratulations

Amnesty International Australia intern Anja with some of the thousands of paper submissions we collected
Amnesty International intern Anja swimming in submissions

Over 10,000 of you made individual submissions to the National Human Rights Consultation Process calling for better human rights protection in Australia. Read More.

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