The Law Society of South Australia adopts this Policy Position on a Human Rights Framework for South Australia. The Law Society has called for several measures, including a Human Rights Act for South Australia, to be implemented to better protect the human rights of all South Australians.

EVERYONE DESERVES BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS

While the law is generally designed to protect our rights, it can sometimes overreach, be oppressive, unwittingly capture innocent people, or leave vulnerable people exposed to exploitation.

This is why the Law Society has called for a Human Rights Framework in South Australia.

This framework would act as the foundation upon which laws would be made, by requiring that our lawmakers demonstrate that any laws they propose are compatible with fundamental human rights. It would be guided by the principles outlined in the Law Council of Australia’s Federal Human Rights Charter Policy Position (2020) and developed in consultation with the South Australian community. The adoption of such a framework would be of great assistance in not only codifying the human rights that South Australians collectively consider to be important, but in ensuring such rights are given due consideration when laws or decisions are made about their lives. It would help to ensure that all South Australians are able to enjoy their human rights on an equal basis with each other.

Creating a human rights framework won’t be an easy task. But it is an important one. Robust debates will be had about how different rights can coexist.

All South Australians should be given the opportunity to have their say on which rights are important to them. 

READ THE LAW SOCIETY'S  POLICY POSITION PAPER HERE