A Message from the Attorney-General the Hon Robert McClelland MP

Attorney-General the Hon Robert McClelland On 10 December 2008 I launched the National Human Rights Consultation. The Consultation is designed to seek the views of the Australian community on how human rights and responsibilities should be protected in the future.

This consultation implements the Rudd Government’s election commitment to ensure that Australians be given a chance to have their say on this important question for Australia’s democracy, and builds on the human rights ideas emerging from the 2020 Summit held earlier this year.

The Rudd Government has already taken action in key human rights areas—including the national apology to Indigenous Australians, the ‘Closing the Gap’ initiatives, same-sex reforms, ratifying the United Nations Disabilities Convention and more humane treatment of refugees and asylum seekers.

In this, the year of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, it is appropriate to reflect on the effectiveness of our current system of human rights protections, to see if gaps exist, and to explore a range of ways in which human rights protections could be enhanced.

For many this means a discussion about whether or not Australia should adopt a national charter of rights. I expect there to be robust discussion both for and against a national charter. I would like to take this opportunity to encourage community consideration of a broad range of options for future human rights protection—not only a national charter of rights.

It is the National Human Rights Consultation Committee’s task to promote broad discussion on the range of options and to hear the views of all Australians. The Committee will provide a comprehensive report to the Australian Government on what you, the Australian community, think about this important aspect of Australia’s democracy.