Today, in an interview with the ABC, US President Barack Obama declared his support for marriage equality – the legality of same-sex marriages. The move, coming six months before he stands for re-election, is the latest in a series of political steps in that direction. Six months ago, late in 2011, witnessed a beginning of […]
It is a Saturday night at a comedy show. An overweight, beer drinking, crude male takes a dig at his wife. His presence on the stage is domineering and aggressive. The audience is in hysterics; compelled by the group, I manage a laboured self-conscious giggle. I am channel surfing and an ad for channel 7’s […]
One of the most problematic areas of international human rights law is the right to culture. It is ambiguous, yet the right to culture manifests itself in many aspects of each individual’s daily life. The right to culture provides equality to all members of society, allowing them to freely practice their culture. Further, it prevents […]
Much has been written about the complicity of people smugglers and their networks in transporting asylum seekers to Australian shores. In Australia, the arrival of “boat people” has generated intense political debate, especially since the Tampa incident in 2001. Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd described people smugglers as “engaged in the world’s most evil trade […]
This article is part of our April and May theme: the relationship between art and human rights – a topic very close to our hearts. If this interests you, take a look at our “Art” category to the left of this page, or click here for past publications of artwork and reviews. What does theatre have […]
This article is part of our March theme, which focuses on an ongoing challenge to Australian society: Race & Discrimination. Read our Editorial for more on this theme. People assume a lot of things about those who are racially marked and considered different from their own. Ways of being part of a community, for example. […]
The ‘Stop the Boats’ rhetoric in national politics, vilification of public figures of ethnic backgrounds and evidence that AFL recruiters only hire indigenous players with at least one white parent are markers that racial discrimination and intolerance continue to underline the fabric of Australia’s society. But how prejudiced is Australia when placed on a global […]
This article is part of our March theme, which focuses on an ongoing challenge to Australian society: Race & Discrimination. Read our Editorial for more on this theme. Public policy values, particularly human rights principles and non-discrimination principles, should guide governments in the conduct of public law litigation. The Commonwealth’s Obligations to Act as a […]
This article is part of our March theme, which focuses on an ongoing challenge to Australian society: Race & Discrimination. Read our Editorial for more on this theme. Recently the Federal Government announced that it intends to consolidate the Racial Discrimination Act 1975, Sex Discrimination Act 1984, Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and Age Discrimination Act […]
This article is part of our March theme, which focuses on an ongoing challenge to Australian society: Race & Discrimination. Read our Editorial for more on this theme. The trafficking of human beings has existed throughout the ages; in recent times transforming into an issue of global importance, touching the Asia-Pacific and indeed Australia directly. […]
As the world celebrates and marks the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on 21 March 2012, it’s worth looking at Australia’s record on racial discrimination. The issue has again been in the news as the AFL examines clubs’ recruitment policies towards Indigenous players. However, although the issue of race is often most prominent […]
Yesterday, on 14 March 2012, the Baillieu Government released its response to the Scrutiny of Acts and Regulations Committee’s (SARC) review of the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006. The good news is that the Government does not intend to substantially weaken the Charter, which was a distinct possibility after SARC’s review essentially […]