A Charter of Human Rights is a law that is designed to protect human rights. Australia is the only liberal democracy in the world without such a law, whether as an ordinary Act of Parliament, or as a Bill of Rights entrenched in the Constitution.

Australian values and democratic traditions provide important protection for our rights, but countries that have similar values and traditions, such as the United Kingdom, Canada, and New Zealand, have all felt it necessary to adopt a Charter of Human Rights as well. Arguably, a Charter provides an important safety net for human rights protection, and this is a safety net that Australia does not currently have.

On 10 December 2008, the National Human Rights Consultation was announced. Its report and recommendations were made public on 1 October 2009. More information about this Consultation is available on the Resources Page.

At the State and Territory level, Victoria has already enacted its own Charter of Human Rights, as has the ACT. In 2008, the governments of Tasmania and Western Australia commissioned public inquiries, each of which suggested the need for a Charter of Human Rights.”

The Charter of Human Rights Project aims to inform the debate about a national Charter. Our Resource Page includes an outline of the arguments for and against having a Charter and discussion of the kinds of rights we might want to include. You will also find an overview of the movements for a Charter of Human Rights in Australia, the viewpoints of Australian political parties and key public figures about a Charter, and information about how the Victorian, ACT and other Charters around the world have fared. If you want to find out more about a Charter of Human Rights then check out our Useful Links section, also available on the Resource Page attached to this Project.

About the Charter of Human Rights Project website

The Project Director, Edward Santow, is responsible for the content on the Charter of Human Rights Project website. Please contact him if you have any comments or queries: e.santow@unsw.edu.au.