|
Australian Labor Party (ALP)
Liberal Party of Australia
Australian Greens
Australian Democrats
Family First Party
Australian Labor Party (ALP) Official Policy
Personal Statements
Official Policy
During its 2007 election campaign, the ALP committed to conducting a public consultation about ‘how best to recognise and protect the human rights and freedoms enjoyed by all Australians’. The Government earmarked $2.8 million in the 2008/09 budget for a national human rights inquiry. Australia’s Attorney-General, Rob McClelland, reaffirmed in a speech on 3 October 2008 that this consultation will focus on, but not be limited to, a statutory Australian Charter of Human Rights. He also noted that the Government will not presuppose the outcome of the consultation and so has not committed to enacting a Charter of Human Rights.
Several former and current Labor MPs have expressed their personal views on whether Australia should introduce a Charter of Human Rights. These include the following:
Supporting Robert McClelland MP, Attorney-General for Australia: A charter of rights and aspirations: relevance to modern Australia, Online Opinion, 15 November 2000.
The Hon. Mark Dreyfus QC,'Adjournment Speech on a National Charter of Human Rights’ , Speech in the House of Representatives, Canberra, 3 September 2008.
Senator Joe Ludwig, 2007 Great Legal Debate: Ruddock v Ludwig, 6 November 2007, published on Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law website.
Former ALP President Carmen Lawrence, ‘Ban indefinite detention: Lawrence’, The Age, reported by Meagan Shaw, 12 August 2004; ‘Ideas to save our withering democracy’, Speech at University of WA, 7 August 2003.
Opposing
Former NSW Premier Bob Carr, ‘How a Bill of Rights lays a trap’, Canberra Times, 20 August 2001; ‘Lawyers are already drunk with power’, The Australian, 24 April 2008.
NSW Attorney-General John Hatzistergos, ‘Attorney-General rejects charter of rights for NSW’, SMH, Jonathon Pearlman, 18 April 2007.
Liberal Party of Australia
Official Policy
Personal Statements
The Liberal Party has not stated its official policy in relation to the prospect of a Charter of Human Rights, but a number of prominent federal members have indicated their opposition.
Opposing Shadow Attorney-General George Brandis, Bill of rights could just mean a big bill, Australian Financial Review, 1 February 2008; Why is the Coalition so opposed to a Bill of Rights? (mp3) interview by Jennifer Byrne, published 14 August 2008; Brandis makes case against bill of rights , Lawyers Weekly, Laura Macintyre, 22 August 2008.
Former Attorney-General Phillip Ruddock, Bills of Rights do not protect freedoms, SMH, 31 August 2007; 2007 Great Legal Debate: Ruddock v Ludwig, 6 November 2007, published on Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law website.
Former Prime Minister John Howard, Address at Ceremonial Sitting to mark the Centenary of the High Court of Australia, 6 October 2003.
Former Liberal Senator Ross Lightfoot: Australians’ Rights Are Already Protected, Online Opinion, 15 November 2000.
Supporting Former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser: Vincent Lingiari Memorial Lecture, 24 August 2000; Vision for a Nation, Adelaide Convention Centre, 20 October 2001; Interview with ABC Radio National ‘The National Interest’, 27 August 2004.
Former Federal Minister Fred Chaney: WA starts Human Rights journey, ABC News Online, 7 May 2007.
The Australian Greens’ official policy is one of unequivocal support for enacting an Australian Charter of Human Rights: see Policy E4: Human Rights Measure 7.
Australian Democrats
The Democrats have long been committed to the introduction of an Australian Charter of Human Rights, and campaigned in the 2007 election on this basis. The Democrats introduced Draft Bills of Rights in 2001 and 2008, which are available here .
Australian Democrats Press Release : ‘Don’t dismiss human rights charter’, 26 April 2007.
Senator Natasha Stott Despoja: ‘ The evidence points to the need for an Australian Bill of Rights ’, Online Opinion, 15 November 2000.
Family First’s stated policy in regard to human rights is to ‘support specific legislation where real human rights infringements are found’, but the party ‘has strong concerns about a Bill of Rights’ and appears to oppose a general Charter of Human Rights.
|
