The Consultation will be run by an independent committee, which will then issue a report on the findings to the Government. This report will be the basis for the Government to consider the human rights framework in Australia.

NSW Community Legal Centres encourage everyone to get involved in the public consultation and to share your views with the committee.
For full details, please visit www.humanrightsconsultation.gov.au 

You can participate in the consultation by:

• Emailing your submission to: humanrightsconsultation@ag.gov.au or typing your submission directly into the Consultation website www.humanrightsconsultation.gov.au
• Posting your submission to:

National Human Rights Consultation Secretariat
Attorney-General's Department Central Office
Robert Garran Offices National Circuit BARTON ACT 2600

• Taking part in a Community Roundtable:

Community roundtables meetings will be held throughout Australia so that people can share their views about human rights in Australia. To attend a roundtable between February and May 2009 you should register your details online (www.humanrightsconsultation.gov.au) or by calling 1800 086 134. The location and timetable for those meetings will be available on the Consultation’s “Calendar of Events” webpage. You can also express your support for Australia having a Human Rights Act by either:

1.  Filling in Amnesty International’s Human Rights form, which can be found at: http://www.amnesty.org.au/yourhumanrights/consultation/ OR;
2.  Typing your submission in the GetUp! webpage: http://www.getup.org.au/campaign/rights/407

Submissions must be made by 15 June 2009

• Training / Seminars

The Public Interest Advocacy Centre is offering one-day training courses entitled “Protecting Human Rights – Train the Trainer”. These courses provide participants with the knowledge and skills to fully engage in the public consultation, and to conduct human rights education with your network, group, organisation or sector.
For details, see: http://www.piac.asn.au/training/trainingcal06.html

 

• Speakers Available

Speakers on the topic of Human Rights Protection in Australia (or the lack thereof), are available to do a presentation to your organisation / school / office. For further details, please contact Brenda Bailey at the Public Interest Advocacy Centre, on (02) 88986500.

 

• Useful links and background reading:

National Human Rights Background Paper: www.humanrightsconsultation.gov.au/www/nhrcc/
nhrcc.nsf/Page/About_Human_Rights_in_Australia
Human Rights Consultation website: www.humanrightsconsultation.gov.au
The Australian Human Rights Group website: www.humanrightsact.com.au
Uniting Justice Australia www.unitingjustice.org.au/resources/human-rights-day.html
Human Rights Law Resource Centre www.hrlrc.org.au/html/s02_article/default.asp?nav_top_id=70&nav_cat_id=184
Australian Human Rights Commission: www.hreoc.gov.au/human_rights/charter_of_rights/index.html
UNSW’s Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law www.gtcentre.unsw.edu.au/projects_partners/projects/cohr/index.asp
Illawarra Legal Centre www.illawarralegalcentre.org.au/humanrights.htm