[LINK] Human rights must not be party political

[Ben McGinnes]

Human rights must not be party political
Emily Howie and Phil Lynch
December 13, 2010

The new government is in danger of taking a regressive step.

FOUR years ago Victoria led the way when it became the first Australian
state to pass a Charter of Human Rights. The charter was much more than
a dry legal document or arid statement of principles. It hit the statute
books after significant public consultation. The people who testified
overwhelmingly called for human rights to be better protected in law and
practice.

Since it came into effect, the charter has quietly provided much-needed
human rights protection for all of us, and particularly the most
marginalised and disadvantaged people in our community.
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With the recent change of government in Spring Street, the future of
Australia's first state charter is less certain.

In his Human Rights Week address last week, the state Attorney-General,
Robert Clark, spoke for the first time about his plans for the Victorian
charter. While stopping short of saying he will repeal it, the attorney
described the charter as ''riddled with flaws'', saying that it ''could
not continue in its current form''. It will be reviewed next year.

...

http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/human-rights-must-not-be-party-political-20101212-18txf.html


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