News – Page 2

1 in 8 Australians living in poverty

By Shae Courtney

By Shae Courtney. Whilst it is true that More Economically Developed Countries (MEDCs), such as Australia, enjoy on balance a standard of living that is the envy of Less Economically Developed Countries (LEDCs), this standard can often mask the internal problems in developed nations. A recent study, conducted by The University of New South Wales […]

Racial profiling, violence against women and income management: the human rights wrap up

By Eva Csik

Police accused of racial profiling Concerns are mounting over African and Muslim communities being unfairly targeted by police in street patrols. Tamar Hopkins, a lawyer from the Flemington and Kensington Legal Centre in Melbourne’s inner-west, says that the police may actually be breaking the law themselves if they are in fact racial profiling. Sydney based […]

Anti-racism, traditional Indigenous law and religious vilification laws: the human rights wrap up

By Eva Csik

Australia’s Anti-Racism Strategy is launched Led by the Australian Human Rights Commission, Australia’s National Anti- Racism Strategy, Racism, it stops with me, was launched last week calling on all Australians to say no to racism. The strategy “sets out a three year plan for Government to work with community partners to combat racism across schools […]

Offshore processing, gay marriage and youth justice: the human rights wrap up

By Eva Csik

Offshore processing bill passes Senate The Senate has passed legislation which allows the offshore processing of asylum seekers who come to Australia by boat. The Government has said it is looking at getting the processing centres up and running on Nauru and Papua New Guinea’s Manus Island within a month. Gavin Marshall, a factional colleague […]

CHILDREN’S RIGHTS, TAMIL ASYLUM SEEKER DEPORTED & DISABILITY INSURANCE: THE HUMAN RIGHTS WRAP UP

By Eva Csik and Bec Devitt

Government fails on child rights The Australian Human Rights Commission has found that Australia’s treatment of suspected people smugglers who said that they were children has breached international human rights law in a report released on Friday.  The report An age of uncertainty reveal that between 2008 and 2011 Australian authorities gave little consideration to […]