Claire Mallinson presents at the public hearings. Full transcript available.
Public hearings portal
The National Human Rights Consultation Committee public hearings allow key commentators to present their views on the issues most important to human rights protection in Australia today. They are also the final stage of the consultation process where the public can participate and share our views.
The public hearings are being held in the Great Hall of Parliament House, Canberra. Each day deals with a broad area relating to human rights protection in Australia, and is further broken down into sessions on specific topics. You can view the full schedule of public hearings for more information.
Our National Director, Claire Mallinson, will be presenting your views on the final day, and our team of committed campaigners will also be at the public hearings and keeping you updated through the pages below. Click on a link to find out more!
Public hearings blog
Visit the public hearings blog to catch the latest observations and updates from Campaign Coordinator Jenny Leong and her team attending the public hearings at Parliament House.
Keep in touch with constant updates from our Amnesty International Australia twitter feed - you can also do a #rightsforoz twitter search to view tweets only related to our public hearing updates.
Follow status updates on our facebook page - become a fan if you're not already!
Youtube channel
See video clips from Parliament House taken by our tireless campaigners at the Amnesty International Australia youtube channel.
Flickr photostream
View images taken from the hearings at our web team's flickr photostream.
Comments
LESLIE LEE | Posted on 3 July 2009, 01:08AM | Report comment
HUMAN RIGHTS?CHECK OUT THIS LINKhttp://www.abc.net.au/4corners/special_eds/20090615/ward/ward_finding.pdf
LESLIE LEE | Posted on 3 July 2009, 01:05AM | Report comment
HUMAN RIGHTS?CHECK OUT THIS LINK
http://libraryonline.nd.edu.au/content.php?pid=22728&sid=266929
Manuel | Posted on 2 July 2009, 01:41PM | Report comment
The existing laws do not protect hence Human Rights Act for Australia is immediately imperative. However, without transparency and accountability of power no laws will work. Open justice accountability must be made abundantly clear of there application in all processes..
Oliver Lardner | Posted on 1 July 2009, 09:50PM | Report comment
I am no HR expert, I am interested in human rights for quite trivial reasons compared to the real life violations faced by the homosexual community, homeless and young people. I have seen that personally and have many friends who are affected so it affects me more than most Australians.
But personally, I am primarily in support of a human rights act to protect the freedom of speech, in artistic expression and also online, Australia’s face for in the international community.
Human rights would also make light work of current ridiculous impasses such as the effective censorship the government currently enjoys with the refused classification “classification” of movies, books and other media. Not only this, but also plans to censor the internet from that refused classification content.
Garry Scadding | Posted on 1 July 2009, 08:27PM | Report comment
A legislated HR Act has no guaranteed continuity between elections and by differing elected parties. Agreed it’s more flexible and practical than a constitutional amendment, however some assurance that human rights issues will be addressable at all times by all political parties on all issues is required. To prevent staling parliament’s effectiveness in setting and amending policies, the human rights issues should be considered by an independent body reporting to the parliament. Parliament would then debate relevant HR concerns if found necessary based on special body’s findings. Using a parliamentary Act is valid if the public is made aware of the issues surrounding HR. To this end mandatory allocation of funding to educate the public on an ongoing basis is essential. As democratic process is only made valid by informed constituents kept up-to-date on relevant knowledge.
Coral Giffin | Posted on 1 July 2009, 07:40PM | Report comment
Lets remember third world conditions in a first world country.
People without shelter here in this the lucky country. 70% of our homeless population have a mental illness.
Today in my own city on two different occasions I witnessed someone in their seventies on a walker with a swag. Yep they are sleeping rough.Old men and women.
Human rights begin at home. The aged, infirm, sick, and poor need us to ensure that they are heard and valued.
Why are our old shearers, fencers, labourers, minimum wage earners uncared for when their bodies are worn out.
Jenny Leong (in Camberra) | Posted on 1 July 2009, 05:19PM | Report comment
Hey Oliver, sorry you didn’t know about it - let me know if you want a question asked and I will try to get the microphone in the next Q&A!
Oliver Lardner | Posted on 1 July 2009, 12:43PM | Report comment
I wish I knew about the hearings I would have been there in person. Without a human rights, Australia is a scary place, with real injustice and abuse lurking underneath the happy go lucky, bronzed surface…
Irlande Alfred | Posted on 1 July 2009, 11:16AM | Report comment
Asylum seekers are fleeing for safety, they should not be treated as criminals. What of our principle of being innocent until proven guilty? Let’s imagine another way of being fair and JUST to these people whose lives have been fraught by danger and have been living in fear.