What does it mean to believe in human rights in Australia today?

Commission President Catherine Branson QC told an audience of academics, students and members of the community this month that there are deficits in our democratic processes that leave disadvantaged members of society vulnerable to human rights violations. Delivering the 2010 University of Newcastle Human Rights and Social Justice Lecture, Ms Branson observed that the protection of human rights is fundamental to modern democracies such as Australia. These include civil and political rights such as the right to vote, freedom of expression, movement and thought, non-discrimination and equality before the law and fair and equal access to economic and social rights such as housing, health and education. In her speech, What does it mean to believe in human rights in Australia today?, Ms Branson argued that while Australia has strong democratic institutions, arguably they do not adequately protect human rights: our Parliament can make laws that breach human rights without providing explicit justification; human rights can be overlooked in law and policy development processes; and Australia does not always provide effective remedies for human rights breaches. Image: Karen Eliot / flick