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,
- Rights Resource Network South Australia
- South Australian Council of Social Service
- Australian Lawyers for Human Rights
- Adoptee Rights Australia (ARA) Inc.
- Aged Rights Advocacy Service Inc
- Amnesty International Australia
- Anglican Community Care Inc (ac.care)
- Anglicare SA Limited
- Anti-Poverty Network South Australia
- April Lawrie, Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People
- Arts Industry Council of South Australia
- Australian Lawyers Alliance
- Australian Migrant Resource Centre
- Australian Refugee Association
- Believe Housing Australia
- Centacare Catholic Family Services
- Child and Family Focus SA
- Civil Liberties Australia
- Community Centres SA
- Community Legal Centres SA
- Conservation Council of SA
- COTA SA
- Deaf Australia
- Disability Advocacy Network Australia
- Disability Rights Advocacy Service
- Down Syndrome Australia
- Equality Australia
- Equality Lawyers
- Every Australian Counts
- Extinction Rebellion South Australia
- Federation of Community Legal Centres Vic
- First Peoples Disability Network (Australia)
- Helen Connolly , Commissioner for Children and Young People
- Human Rights For All Pty Ltd
- Human Rights Law Centre
- Intersex Human Rights Australia
- JFA Purple Orange
- Justice Action
- Justice Reform Initiative
- Justice Reinvestment SA
- JusticeNet SA
- Lutheran Care
- Mental Health Coalition SA
- Mind Australia
- Multicultural Communities Council of SA
- Mums 4 Refugees NSW Incorporated
- Ombudsman SA
- Our Voice SA
- People with Disability Australia
- Playgroup SA
- Public Health Association of Australia
- Refugee Council of Australia
- Remedy Australia
- SA Lived Experience and Advocacy Network (LELAN)
- SA Rainbow Advocacy Alliance
- SA Unions
- Save the Children Australia
- Seeds of Affinity: Pathways for Women
- Shelter SA
- SNAICC – National Voice for Our Children
- South Australian Council for Civil Liberties
- South Australian Council on Intellectual Disability
- South Australian Drug and Alcohol Coalition
- St Vincent de Paul Society (SA)
- The Castan Centre For Human Rights Law
- The Law Society of South Australia
- The Salvation Army
- Transcend Australia
- Uniting Communities
- Uniting SA
- UnitingCare Wesley Bowden
- Victim Support Service SA
- Women Lawyers Association of South Australia
- Women With Disabilities Australia
- Women’s Electoral Lobby
- Working Women’s Centre
- Youth Affairs Council of South Australia
- Zahra Foundation Australia
- Hon Anne Levy AO
- Dr Robyn Layton AO KC
- Professor Tania Leiman, Dean of Law, Flinders University
- Professor Judith McNamara, Dean of Law, Adelaide Law School, University of Adelaide
- Professor Vicki Catherine Waye, Dean of Law, Justice & Society, University of South Australia
- Dr Neville Rochow KC
- Hon Sandra Kanck
- Hon Carolyn Pickles
- Hon Stephanie Key
- Cheryl Axleby
- Dr Kevin Purse
- Dr Hannah Tonkin, Barrister
- Ralph Clarke, Consultant, Industrial Relations
- Brendan Grigg, Senior Lecturer in Law, Flinders University
- Dr Sanzhuan Guo, Senior Lecturer in Law and Socio Legal Studies, Flinders University
- Dr. Hossein Esmaeili, Associate Professor of Law, Flinders University
- Klynton Wanganeen
- Vanessa Musolino
- Dr Joshua Curtis, Lecturer, Adelaide Law School, University of Adelaide
- Cornelia Koch, Senior Lecturer in Law, Adelaide Law School, University of Adelaide
- Hon Sarah Game MLC
- Linda Champion
- Dr Michelle Fernando, Senior Lecturer, University of South Australia
- Peta Spyrou, PhD Candidate & Sessional Teacher, University of South Australia
- Professor Paul T. Babie, Professor of Law, University of Adelaide
- Leah Marrone, Barrister Flinders Chambers
- Dr Anna Olijnyk, Senior Lecturer, University of Adelaide
- Sawinder Singh
- Michael Alder, Solicitor
- Peter Strous,
- Juliette McIntyre, Lecturer in Law, University of South Australia
- Phoebe Michelmore
- Marinella Marmo, Associate Professor in Criminology, Flinders University
- Maureen Arnott
- Sean Bates
- Anna Kennet, Lawyer
- Phillipa McCormack
- Anderson Chan
- Hannah March
- Dr Laura Grenfell, Associate Professor, Adelaide Law School, University of Adelaide
- Narelle Perry
- Jennifer Jones
- Kate Zubrinich, social worker
- Mary Allstrom
- Loki Maelorin
- Deborah Ward
- Matt Ward
- Hon Connie Bonaros MLC
- Hon Robert Simms MLC
- Hon Tammy Franks MLC
- Dr Kristine Klugman OAM, President, Civil Liberties Australia
- Chris Stamford, federal HR Act campaign manager, Civil Liberties Australia
- Bill Rowlings OAM, CEO, Civil Liberties Australia
- Dr Judith Dwyer AM
- Hon Frank Pangello MLC
- Gregg Ryan
- Professor Emeritus Rick Sarre
- James Scheibner, Lecturer, College of Business Government and Law, Flinders University
- Catherine Branson
- Sarah Macdonald
- Kym Davey
- Ross Womersley
- Michael Grant
- Peter Hall
- Wayne Mackay
- Denis Carey
- Associate Professor Anne Hewitt, Adelaide Law School, University of Adelaide
- C S L Abbott KC
- Anthony Tucker, Community Services Manager
- Tracey Coleman, Lecturer in Law, University of South Australia
- Mark Walters,
- Rev. Paul Turley
- Hon Mark Parnell
- Dr Sarah Moulds, Senior Lecturer in Law, University of South Australia
- Kerry Weste, President, Australian Lawyers for Human Rights
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