Australian Human Rights Commission
e-bulletin
June 2011
Welcome
Welcome to the June issue of the Australian Human Rights Commission's monthly e-bulletin, where we will keep you up-to-date with our latest programs, projects and news.
Please forward to friends and colleagues who have an interest in human rights and social justice issues.
In this e-bulletin
- Plea for more humanity from Human Rights Chief
- Potential for suicide and self-harm should sound a warning
- Nominate now for the 2011 Human Rights Awards
- Commission welcomes Government’s response to UPR recommendations
- Commission is on the move
- See below for more...
Plea for more humanity from Human Rights Chief
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Close to 2000 people packed into Sydney Town Hall last month for the Commission's Human Rights 2011 event.
The large audience heard United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay appeal to Australians to be humane in their treatment of asylum seekers.
Ms Pillay joined Professor Patrick Dodson and Paris Aristotle AM from Foundation House in Victoria at the Commission's Human Rights 2011 forum, to discuss the most complex, pressing and politically controversial human rights issues facing Australia today.
She told the audience that the policy of sending 800 asylum-seekers to Malaysia over the next four years possibly violated international human rights law and cautioned that individuals in Malaysia would have no protections.
"If Australia is serious about this policy of sending 800 people out to Malaysia, then I think it violates refugee law," she said.
"They cannot send individuals to a country that has not ratified the torture convention..."
Commission President Catherine Branson QC said there was a pressing need in Australia for an informed debate on issues that touch on respect for individuals and groups in our community.
"The Northern Territory Emergency Response Act – and its future - is one such issue and immigration and refugee policy is another," Ms Branson said.
Paris Aristotle suggested that faceless images of asylum seekers did nothing to encourage empathy and understanding of their plight among the Australian population while Professor Dodson delivered a blunt assessment on the Northern Territory Intervention as a failure.
Video highlights and photos from the event are available at www.humanrights.gov.au/hr2011/
Potential for suicide and self-harm should sound a warning
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The Commission has released the report into it's Villawood Immigration Detention Centre visit and said the apparent suicides of three men last year and high rates of self-harm should serve as a warning about the impacts of Australia's immigration detention system.
Commission President Catherine Branson QC said the uncertainty caused by indefinite detention and delays in refugee processing and security assessments were triggering serious mental health issues among the detainees.
"What we saw at Villawood was the result of the system of mandatory and indefinite detention, where people can see no end in sight because there is no set time limit on the period a person can be held in detention," Ms Branson said.
"Sixty per cent of those in detention when we visited Villawood had been detained for longer than six months, and 45 per cent had been detained for more than a year.
"I urge the Government to make greater use of community-based alternatives that are cheaper, more effective and more humane, such as the use of bridging visas or Community Detention," Ms Branson said.
The report is available at: www.humanrights.gov.au/human_rights/immigration/idc2011_villawood.html
Nominate now for the 2011 Human Rights Awards
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| Winner of last year's TV Award, Football United: Passport to Hope |
Nominations are now open for the 2011 Human Rights Awards.
Commission President Catherine Branson QC said nominations were opening a month earlier than last year in order to give people maximum time to consider nominating.
"This year is the 24th year that the Commission has honoured those in our community who have promoted and protected the human rights of others," Ms Branson said.
"We've also introduced a new business category this year for those in the business community with a proven track record in promoting and advancing human rights."
Nominations are now open for Human Rights Medal, Young People's Human Rights Medal, Law Award, Business Award, Community Award – Individual, Community Award – Organisation, Literature (non-fiction) Award, Radio, Television and Print Media Award.
Nominations will close on Friday 9 September for judging, with winners to be presented with their awards at a ceremony on Friday, 9 December 2011. The Awards are also being moved to a new prestigious venue, the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth, in Phillip Street Sydney.
Tickets are also now on sale for the Human Rights Award ceremony. Last year's event sold out so get in early to be assured of a place.
For nomination forms and to order your tickets go to www.humanrights.gov.au/hr_awards.
Join the Human Rights Awards electronic mailing list information at hrawards@humanrights.gov.au
Commission welcomes Government’s response to UPR recommendations
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The Commission has welcomed the Government’s response to recommendations made in the Universal Periodic Review process at the UN Human Rights Council but expressed concerned that recommendations relating to Australia’s policy of mandatory and indefinite immigration detention were rejected.
Ms Branson said the Commission would continue to urge the Government to end its system of mandatory and indefinite immigration detention.
“Australia’s system of mandatory and indefinite immigration detention was a key concern raised by the international community during the UPR process,” Ms Branson said.
“In 2008 the Australian Government committed to a regime where immigration detention would be used as a last resort and for the shortest practicable time. People were meant to reside in the community unless they posed an unacceptable risk,” she said.
“It is time for the Government to fully implement its own policy.”
She congratulated the Government for its frank and robust engagement in the UPR process but said the Commission was disappointed the Government had rejected other recommendations such as the introduction of a Human Rights Act, same-sex marriage recognition, and compensation for Stolen Generations.
Commission is on the move
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The Australian Human Rights Commission is moving to new premises over the June long weekend.
The Commission's current office, which it has occupied since June 1994, will close on Friday, 10 June and reopen in it's new home at Level 3, 175 Pitt Street, Sydney on Tuesday June 14th.
GPO Box, phone numbers, and email addresses will stay the same, as will the office hours.
Recent media releases
- Commissioner supports calls for equal rights to equal pay (8 May 2011)
- Self-harm and suicides in immigration detention are major concerns (26 May 2011)
- Passage of sex and age discrimination legislation amendment a great day (25 May 2011)
- The time is right to unify the nation: let’s talk constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians (19 May 2011)
- Time to take a stand against homophobia and transphobia (17 May 2011)
Recent speeches
- Our relationships in native title: starting the conversation
Mick Gooda, 2 June 2011 - Current issues in Human Rights
Hon Catherine Branson QC, 30 May 2011 - Human Rights 2011
Hon Catherine Branson, Sydney Town Hall, 23 May 2011 - International Launch of the Australian national Action Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children
Elizabeth Broderick, 05 May, 2011
Recent podcasts
Episode 10 2011 – (30 May 2011) – Navanethem (Navi) Pillay, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Navi Pillay has been the United Nations High Commissioner since September 2008. The first woman to start a law practice in her home province of Natal in 1967, she acted as a defence attorney for anti-apartheid activists, exposing torture, and helping establish key rights for prisoners on Robben Island. When apartheid ended, Ms Pillay was appointed as acting judge on the South African High Court and was elected judge on the International Criminal Court in 2003. She has been involved in many organisations promoting the rights of women, children and refugees. In this instalment of PodRights, she speaks to Disability and Race Discrimination Commissioner, Graeme Innes, about significant human rights issues in Australia and around the world today.
Episode 9 - (16 May 2011) – Ramp Up – disability goes online – Stella Young
On the International Day for People with Disabilities last year, the ABC launched a portal called Ramp Up which deals with day-to-day issues facing people with disabilities, but in a way which challenges generally held stereotypes. In this instalment of PodRights, Ramp Up’s creator and editor, activist and comedienne Stella Young, discusses the concept, it’s development and the intentions for its future with Commissioner Innes.
Go to www.humanrights.gov.au/podcasts for audios and transcripts of all Pod Rights.
Get involved - upcoming events
For the latest media releases, speeches, opinion pieces, go to the media centre on the Commission’s website at: www.humanrights.gov.au/about/media/
