In our submission to the statutory review of the Modern Slavery Act 2018 (Cth), Human Rights Law Centre proposes reforms to hold companies accountable for preventing modern slavery in their operations and supply chains and require them to undertake due diligence to identify and address modern slavery risks.
The Human Rights Law Centre is calling on the Australian Government urgently act to strengthen the legislation.
Read MoreThe Human Rights Law Centre appeared before the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters (Committee), to advocate for reforms that will make elections fairer and our democracy stronger.
Read MoreIn a joint submission to the United Nations Committee Against Torture, Change the Record, the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services and the Human Rights Law Centre call on the Albanese government to end human rights abuses in prisons and police cells.
Read MoreAfter a parliamentary inquiry earlier this year recommended an urgent overhaul of the family migration system, the Australian National Audit Office is now conducting an audit of the Department of Home Affairs’ handling of family via applications.
Read MoreSubmission on Australia’s state party report to the Committee Against Torture pursuant to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (75th Session)
Read MoreIn this joint submission by the Human Rights Law Centre, Change The Record and the NATSILS to the United Nations Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture, we highlight Jurisdictions where little or no work establishing an OPCAT-compliant oversight mechanism for places of detention has been established; systemic concerns within and across jurisdictions; and facilities of particular concern where human rights abuses appear to be systemic, chronic and escalating.
Read MoreThe Human Rights Law Centre appeared before the Joint Select Committee on Parliamentary Standards (Committee), to give evidence for reforms that would ensure that politicians and all people working in, or visiting, the Commonwealth Parliament fall under a code of conduct.
Read MoreThis joint parliamentary committee was initiated on the recommendation of Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins in her Set the Standard report, which followed serious allegations of gender-based violence taking place inside Parliament. It follows that a significant focus of this review should be on preventing gender-based violence. However, this is not the only issue that needs to be addressed in order to create a Commonwealth Parliament that will rebuild public trust in our political system.
Read MoreThe Human Rights Law Centre is urging the ACT government to lead the nation and introduce the ‘right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment’ into the Human Rights Act 2004.
Read MoreThe Human Rights Law Centre commented on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Consultation Paper relating to its proposed International Strategy on Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery (Strategy).
Read MoreThe Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly’s Justice and Community Safety Committee is inquiring whether to support strengthening the Human Rights Act to make it easier for people to take action when their rights are being violated.
Read MoreThis submission calls on the Federal Government for more to be done via a range of measures to strengthen Australia’s framework to combat forced labour as Australia prepares to ratify the International Labour Organization (ILO) Forced Labour Protocol.
Read MoreJoint submission from the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency and the Human Rights Law Centre on the Social Security Legislation Amendment (Remote Engagement Program) Bill 2021.
Read MoreThe submission, made to separate inquiries by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights and the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, highlights a number of deep flaws and serious consequences that would flow if the Religious Discrimination Bill was passed.
Read MoreThe Human Rights Law Centre calls for an enforceable code of conduct that applies to all elected members of federal Parliament and whistleblower laws that protect parliamentary workers.
Read MoreThis submission on the Criminal Law (Raising the Age of Responsibility) Amendment Bill sets out the medical, social and legal rationale for raising the age to at least 14.
Read MoreAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, human rights, legal and advocacy organisations called on the Andrews Government to end human rights abuse in Victorian prisons as part of the Cultural Review of the Adult Custodial Corrections System.
Read MoreA submission to the Independent Review into Commonwealth Parliamentary Workplaces (Review).
Read MoreThe Human Rights Law Centre and Digital Rights Watch have written to federal, territory and state health ministers urging them to adopt strong safeguards around the use of facial recognition technology in home quarantine.
Read MoreThe Human Rights Law Centre submission argues that the proposed law is unnecessary and excessive and, if passed, would have a chilling effect on people’s right to come together and speak out about the issues they care about.
Read MoreThe Change the Record coalition, the Human Rights Law Centre and the Tasmanian Aboriginal Legal Service welcome the decision of the Tasmanian Government to establish the Tasmanian National Preventive Mechanism under standalone legislation.
In this submission we set out a number of ongoing concerns however with provisions in the draft Bill in respect of the NPM’s operational independence, and suggest additional amendments aimed at ensuring the NPM is OPCAT compliant and can effectively fulfil its functions.
Read MoreThe Human Rights Law Centre welcomes the opportunity to make a submission to the Second National Review of Quarantine Arrangements.
Read MoreThe Human Rights Law Centre welcomes the opportunity to make a submission to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee on the Constitution Alteration (Freedom of Expression and Freedom of the Press) 2019.
Read MoreThe Andrews government should use an inquiry into Victoria’s criminal justice system as the catalyst to finally end mass imprisonment, the Human Rights Law Centre argued in its evidence.
Read MoreThe Human Rights Law Centre welcomes the opportunity to provide input to the PJCIS on the Surveillance Legislation Amendment (Identify and Disrupt) Bill 2020, and is concerned about the disproportionate scope of these powers and the lack of evidence justifying the need for warrants beyond those already available to the AFP and ACIC.
Read MoreThe Human Rights Law Centre welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the Australian National Audit Office’s performance audit to assess the effectiveness of the design and management of international travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read MoreThe Australian government’s visa laws are devastating families and keeping parents away from their children for years, a Senate Committee inquiry has been told. The landmark inquiry into the Morrison government’s family migration policies has received evidence from legal experts and people separated from their families.
Read MoreThe Human Rights Law Centre and the National Family Violence Prevention Legal Services Forum provided a joint submission to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights’ inquiry into a legislative instrument which would amend the criteria for the discriminatory and punitive ParentsNext program, but do nothing to address the fundamental flaws in the program or its impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.
Read MoreOn the eve of the Tasmanian election, the Tasmanian Aboriginal Legal Service and the Human Rights Law Centre called on the Tasmanian government to raise the age in response to a survey being undertaken by the Commissioner for Children and Young People to help inform an advice they are preparing to the Government on the issue.
Read MoreThe implications of the proposed regulations, which significantly broaden the scope of activities for which charities can be deregistered, will be felt by virtually every one of the 58,000 charities registered in Australia. The proposal is a major overreach and the need for further regulation has not been (and in our view cannot be) properly explained. No obvious benefit will accrue, yet there is a significant cost to charities and, by extension, Australian civil society.
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