Human rights report a roadmap to a fairer Australia: PILCH
MEDIA RELASE
Thursday, 8 October 2009
The Public Interest Law Clearing House (PILCH) has welcomed the report of the National Human Rights
Consultation and says it provides the Rudd Government with a roadmap to a fairer, more tolerant and more
humane Australia.
Lucy McKernan, Co-Manager of PILCH’s Public Interest Law Scheme, said that the Committee’s report highlights
a number of key areas where Australia’s laws, policies and culture have failed to adequately protect and promote
the human rights of vulnerable people.
‘Clients routinely walk through our door with stories of violations of their basic human rights – people experiencing
homelessness, asylum seekers, people with a disability and racial and religious minorities are just some of the
clients that our present laws fail to adequately protect,’ said Ms McKernan.
‘For these reasons, the Committee has rightly concluded that the protection and promotion of human rights is a
matter of national importance and recommended that the Government take a number of important steps to better
protect and promote human rights.’
‘PILCH is thrilled that many of the substantive recommendations made in its submission to the Consultation have
been adopted, including: enacting a federal Human Rights Act; prioritising human rights education for the
Australian community; embedding a culture of human rights accountability in government and improving access to
justice for everyday Australians,’ said Ms McKernan.
Simone Cusack, Public Interest Lawyer and the principal author of PILCH’s submission, said that in
recommending the enactment of a Human Rights Act, the Committee has heeded the words of around 29,000
Australians and has challenged the Rudd Government to do likewise.
‘The Australian people have told the Government loudly and clearly that their basic rights deserve better protection
and the Rudd Government should be commended on facilitating such a robust and democratic process throughout
the Consultation,’ said Ms Cusack.
‘Given the gravity of many human rights violations that are allowed to occur in Australia, the challenge now for the
Government is to act quickly and decisively in implementing the Committee’s recommendations,’ said Ms Cusack.
Contact
Lucy McKernan
Co-Manager, Public Interest Scheme
(03) 8636 4414
lucy.mckernan@pilch.org.au
Simone Cusack
Public Interest Lawyer
(03) 8636 4415
0420205282
simone.cusack@pilch.org.au
PILCH is an independent, not-for-profit organisation which is committed to furthering the public interest, improving
access to justice and protecting human rights. PILCH does this by facilitating pro bono legal services to Victorian
individuals and organisations in need, and by undertaking law reform, policy work and legal education
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