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The Queensland Council for Civil Liberties (QCCL) is very concerned that the Australian Government has not yet introduced into Parliament the abovementioned Bill despite the publication over 2 years ago by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights of its report into its Inquiry into Australia's Human Rights Framework recommending that Australia enact a legislated federal Human Rights Act (HRA).
Read MoreThe Council has, at all times, been opposed to the disenfranchisement of prisoners. The concept of the civil dead no longer has any place in our law. Prisoners are human beings and ought to be treated with dignity. They are in prison as punishment not for punishment.
Read MoreSex offender registries create a false sense of security because most perpetrators of sex offences are known to their victims or their families. In 2015 around 75% of sexual assault victims knew their offender, while one third of victims were assaulted by a family member
The QCCL submits that there is no version of a PPD scheme that limits human rights in this way which could possibly be justifiable in accordance with section 13 of the Human Rights Act
Read MoreAssociations of workers, consumers and residents must have legal standing as a remedy to regulatory capture and lackadaisical administration of laws designed to protect them from the powerful. This fundamental principle cannot be abrogated because of the alleged importance of some particular government interest. To the contrary the pressure that will come on the government to “do whatever it takes” to get have a successful games makes the risk of bad decisions and hence the need for a check on government even greater;
Read More“If we want to put justice fairness and equality at the heart of the Commonwealth Government’s decision making process we need a National Human Rights Act”
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Ms Green’s remarks, clearly fall within the bounds of protected speech. Criticising government policy is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy, and attempts to suppress such criticism, particularly within artistic expression, set a dangerous precedent. While public institutions may not always agree with the views expressed by individuals, it is wholly inappropriate for governments to use the withdrawal of financial support as a tool to punish or silence speech.
Read MoreIt is a core belief of the QCCL that democracies are strengthened, not weakened, when space is made for peaceful dissent. A decision by the State Government to withdraw funding from the Queensland Music Awards due to one artist’s lawful political expression during an acceptance speech would set a deeply concerning and dangerous precedent.
Read MoreWhat is truly extraordinary is that the Attorney, an experienced lawyer, has made a clear admission of the injustices that will be perpetrated in the future with no concerns for consequent human harm. That harm will flow not only to the incarcerated offenders but their later victims.
Read MoreThe structure of the Act is intended to preserve Parliamentary sovereignty. However, it is our view that the application of the Act to any order or direction or similar exercise of rulemaking power by the executive which is not approved of or in some way subject to parliamentary scrutiny, does not infringe on parliamentary sovereignty
Read MoreAny set of rights is pretty useless if you do not have an environment in which you can enjoy them. To that end, we do support the inclusion in the Act of a right to a healthy environment
Read MoreThe implementation of a digital identity scheme in Australia is a significant step and it is imperative that this is approached in a way that is measured, transparent, comprehensively safeguarded and that the Australian community is fully informed as to all potential consequences of this path
Read MoreThe implementation of a digital identity scheme in Australia is a significant step and it is imperative that this is approached in a way that is measured, transparent, comprehensively safeguarded and that the Australian community is fully informed as to all potential consequences of this path;
Read MoreThe Parliament should also take the opportunity to remedy a big hole in the law in Queensland by providing a right to those who are wrongfully convicted of a criminal offence to claim compensation.
Read Morein our view the Federal Act should contain a provision similar to Commonwealth anti-discrimination legislation which provide that the Act is not intended to exclude or limit the operation of a law of a state (or territory) that furthers the objects of the Act and is capable of operating concurrently with the Human Rights Ac
Read MoreWhy is the government indulging in this reprehensible behaviour? Because it is trying to arrest its way out of the youth crime problem. The Council accepts that there is a youth crime problem. However, this problem cannot be solved by arresting and detainig more children”
Read MoreCurrently, Australia is the last western democratic country to refrain from explicitly protecting their human rights in legislation, which has subsequent implications for the protection of human rights for Australian citizens
Read More“The traditional requirement that before a search can proceed there must be a reasonable suspicion that a crime has been committed or a weapon found is a bulwark protection of our liberty. Such a requirement is essential to being able to prevent arbitrary searches or searches based on bias. The granting of such powers will inevitably result in unwarranted invasions of privacy.”
Read MoreIn 2001 and 2005 the Federal and State Parliaments passed laws designed to deal with terrorism. Most of those laws were subject to sunset clauses. Over 20 years later those laws remain in place, with the sunset period being regularly extended with very little debate. The liberty undermining principles contained in those laws have now been extended into numerous other areas of the criminal law, as we predicted they would. We do not wish the continuing existence of these powers to be used as justification for the micromanagement of people’s lives in other areas.
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