Proposing a Human Rights Law for South Australia 

As South Australians we value our state’s proud record of adopting socially progressive legislation. We believe it’s now time to consider the next chapter – a Human Rights Act that legally protects the dignity, security and interests of all South Australians.   

Our proposal for change reflects our desire to live in a society that strives for the values we hold most dear - justice, equality and a ‘fair go’ for all. 

We're calling upon the South Australian Government to begin a community-wide conversation by establishing a public inquiry into a Human Rights Act for South Australia.

We want everyone in our state to be involved in stimulating the process for change. 

As South Australians we seek not just a new law, but concrete action that will foster a society based on mutual respect. We want to help build a society based on a culture of respect for human rights across government, parliament, the courts and our communities. 

In Australia, the governments of the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and Queensland have already enshrined human rights in Acts of Parliament. These laws are delivering meaningful improvements in people’s everyday lives. South Australia now has an opportunity to consider learnings from these jurisdictions and take action to put in place similar laws to protect the wellbeing of everyone in our state.

We want a framework that requires the South Australian government to consider everyone’s basic rights when it designs new laws, regulations or policies. 

Importantly, we also want all South Australians to have accessible pathways to resolve any disputes about their rights and achieve effective remedies if their rights have been unjustifiably breached.  We want dispute resolution and rights protection that is focused on delivering practical solutions, without involving people in expensive litigation. 

The act of considering human rights is about putting people at the heart of government decision-making and recognising rights and responsibilities within our community. It is about acknowledging that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity, equality and respect. 

We know big ideas come with lots of detail, and we’ve thought carefully about how this idea could work in practice.  We endorse the report Designing a Human Rights Framework for South Australia issued by the Rights Resource Network SA (RRNSA) in February 2022. 

We invite everyone in our state to join the conversation and support the call for a parliamentary Inquiry into a Human Rights Act for South Australia

Signed,

  1. Rights Resource Network South Australia
  2. South Australian Council of Social Service
  3. Australian Lawyers for Human Rights
  4. Adoptee Rights Australia (ARA) Inc.
  5. Aged Rights Advocacy Service Inc
  6. Amnesty International Australia
  7. Anglican Community Care Inc (ac.care)
  8. Anglicare SA Limited
  9. Anti-Poverty Network South Australia
  10. April Lawrie, Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People
  11. Arts Industry Council of South Australia
  12. Australian Lawyers Alliance
  13. Australian Migrant Resource Centre
  14. Australian Refugee Association
  15. Believe Housing Australia
  16. Centacare Catholic Family Services
  17. Child and Family Focus SA
  18. Civil Liberties Australia
  19. Community Centres SA
  20. Community Legal Centres SA
  21. Conservation Council of SA
  22. COTA SA
  23. Deaf Australia
  24. Disability Advocacy Network Australia
  25. Disability Rights Advocacy Service
  26. Down Syndrome Australia
  27. Equality Australia
  28. Equality Lawyers
  29. Every Australian Counts
  30. Extinction Rebellion South Australia
  31. Federation of Community Legal Centres Vic
  32. First Peoples Disability Network (Australia)
  33. Helen Connolly , Commissioner for Children and Young People
  34. Human Rights For All Pty Ltd
  35. Human Rights Law Centre
  36. Intersex Human Rights Australia
  37. JFA Purple Orange
  38. Justice Action
  39. Justice Reform Initiative
  40. Justice Reinvestment SA
  41. JusticeNet SA
  42. Lutheran Care
  43. Mental Health Coalition SA
  44. Mind Australia
  45. Multicultural Communities Council of SA
  46. Mums 4 Refugees NSW Incorporated
  47. Ombudsman SA
  48. Our Voice SA
  49. People with Disability Australia
  50. Playgroup SA
  51. Public Health Association of Australia
  52. Refugee Council of Australia
  53. Remedy Australia
  54. SA Lived Experience and Advocacy Network (LELAN)
  55. SA Rainbow Advocacy Alliance
  56. SA Unions
  57. Save the Children Australia
  58. Seeds of Affinity: Pathways for Women
  59. Shelter SA
  60. SNAICC – National Voice for Our Children
  61. South Australian Council for Civil Liberties
  62. South Australian Council on Intellectual Disability
  63. South Australian Drug and Alcohol Coalition
  64. St Vincent de Paul Society (SA)
  65. The Castan Centre For Human Rights Law
  66. The Law Society of South Australia
  67. The Salvation Army
  68. Transcend Australia
  69. Uniting Communities
  70. Uniting SA
  71. UnitingCare Wesley Bowden
  72. Victim Support Service SA
  73. Women Lawyers Association of South Australia
  74. Women With Disabilities Australia
  75. Women’s Electoral Lobby
  76. Working Women’s Centre
  77. Youth Affairs Council of South Australia
  78. Zahra Foundation Australia
  79. Hon Anne Levy AO
  80. Dr Robyn Layton AO KC
  81. Professor Tania Leiman, Dean of Law, Flinders University
  82. Professor Judith McNamara, Dean of Law, Adelaide Law School, University of Adelaide
  83. Professor Vicki Catherine Waye, Dean of Law, Justice & Society, University of South Australia
  84. Dr Neville Rochow KC
  85. Hon Sandra Kanck
  86. Hon Carolyn Pickles
  87. Hon Stephanie Key
  88. Cheryl Axleby
  89. Dr Kevin Purse
  90. Dr Hannah Tonkin, Barrister
  91. Ralph Clarke, Consultant, Industrial Relations
  92. Brendan Grigg, Senior Lecturer in Law, Flinders University
  93. Dr Sanzhuan Guo, Senior Lecturer in Law and Socio Legal Studies, Flinders University
  94. Dr. Hossein Esmaeili, Associate Professor of Law, Flinders University
  95. Klynton Wanganeen
  96. Vanessa Musolino
  97. Dr Joshua Curtis, Lecturer, Adelaide Law School, University of Adelaide
  98. Cornelia Koch, Senior Lecturer in Law, Adelaide Law School, University of Adelaide
  99. Hon Sarah Game MLC
  100. Linda Champion
  101. Dr Michelle Fernando, Senior Lecturer, University of South Australia
  102. Peta Spyrou, PhD Candidate & Sessional Teacher, University of South Australia
  103. Professor Paul T. Babie, Professor of Law, University of Adelaide
  104. Leah Marrone, Barrister Flinders Chambers
  105. Dr Anna Olijnyk, Senior Lecturer, University of Adelaide
  106. Sawinder Singh
  107. Michael Alder, Solicitor
  108. Peter Strous,
  109. Juliette McIntyre, Lecturer in Law, University of South Australia
  110. Phoebe Michelmore
  111. Marinella Marmo, Associate Professor in Criminology, Flinders University
  112. Maureen Arnott
  113. Sean Bates
  114. Anna Kennet, Lawyer
  115. Phillipa McCormack
  116. Anderson Chan
  117. Hannah March
  118. Dr Laura Grenfell, Associate Professor, Adelaide Law School, University of Adelaide
  119. Narelle Perry
  120. Jennifer Jones
  121. Kate Zubrinich, social worker
  122. Mary Allstrom
  123. Loki Maelorin
  124. Deborah Ward
  125. Matt Ward
  126. Hon Connie Bonaros MLC
  127. Hon Robert Simms MLC
  128. Hon Tammy Franks MLC
  129. Dr Kristine Klugman OAM, President, Civil Liberties Australia
  130. Chris Stamford, federal HR Act campaign manager, Civil Liberties Australia
  131. Bill Rowlings OAM, CEO, Civil Liberties Australia
  132. Dr Judith Dwyer AM
  133. Hon Frank Pangello MLC
  134. Gregg Ryan
  135. Professor Emeritus Rick Sarre
  136. James Scheibner, Lecturer, College of Business Government and Law, Flinders University
  137. Catherine Branson
  138. Sarah Macdonald
  139. Kym Davey
  140. Ross Womersley
  141. Michael Grant
  142. Peter Hall
  143. Wayne Mackay
  144. Denis Carey
  145. Associate Professor Anne Hewitt, Adelaide Law School, University of Adelaide
  146. C S L Abbott KC
  147. Anthony Tucker, Community Services Manager
  148. Tracey Coleman, Lecturer in Law, University of South Australia
  149. Mark Walters,
  150. Rev. Paul Turley
  151. Hon Mark Parnell
  152. Dr Sarah Moulds, Senior Lecturer in Law, University of South Australia
  153. Kerry Weste, President, Australian Lawyers for Human Rights