Justice News
AUSTRALIAN HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP MEDIA RELEASE
Ignoring human rights has a high cost
21 July 2010
Tony Abbott decided yesterday to scrap funding for even modest human rights protection in Australia. The Australian Human Rights Group (AHRG), a national network of community and faith-based organisations, believes that this decision is exceptionally disappointing.
Mr Abbott announced that the Australian Human Rights Framework would be scrapped in a budget media release of 20 July, There was no announcement of what, if anything, would replace the Human Rights Framework. “It is essential that Mr Abbott outline how his party will protect and promote human rights without the Framework,” says Edward Santow of the AHRG.
The key principles in the Framework include highlighting the importance of human rights education for children, improving human rights protection and to achieve greater respect for human rights in Australia. These are basic tenets that the AHRG wants to see upheld by any politician in Australia.
“I urge all parties to show leadership on this issue, to bring Australia into line with the rest of the developed world and help to improve the understanding of human rights, especially among Australia’s public servants,” says Edward Santow.
The Opposition seems to have left a human rights vacuum in its policy platform. In particular, the Opposition has not addressed how it will protect the rights of the most vulnerable Australians; the elderly, people with a disability or mental illness, and Indigenous Australians.
“The Opposition’s plan to scrap the Human Rights Framework is presented as a financial saving, but our members know all too well that inaction on rights protection comes at an immense cost” says Edward Santow.
Removing the modest human rights developments Australia has made in recent months ignores the views of a large number of community workers, human rights experts and many religious groups, all of whom supported better education on human rights.
Media comment
Edward Santow, University of NSW, 0434 353 096
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