Submission to Senate inquiry into the Modern Slavery Amendment (Australian Anti-Slavery Commissioner) Bill 2023 (Cth)
In a submission to a Senate inquiry into the Modern Slavery Amendment (Australian Anti-Slavery Commissioner) Bill 2023 (Cth), the Human Rights Law Centre welcomed the new proposed Anti-Slavery Commissioner, but said it needed greater enforcement and investigatory powers to fulfil its mandate.
The Centre is calling for the proposed Anti-Slavery Commissioner’s role to be expanded to explicitly include:
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Monitoring and enforcing compliance with the Modern Slavery Act (including through the issuing of penalties or infringement notices);
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Undertaking investigations to detect and expose cases of modern slavery; and
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Receiving complaints and supporting workers subjected to modern slavery to seek redress.
The budget for the office (currently set at $8 million over 4 years) should be expanded to support these additional functions.
Submission to 2025-26 Federal Budget consultation
The Human Rights Law Centre has put forward recommendations to the 2025-26 federal budget submissions across a range of issues, including campaigning for an Australian Human Rights Act, migration justice, prisoners’ rights, whistleblower protection and modern slavery.
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Submission to Surveillance Legislation Amendment (Identify and Disrupt) Act 2021 review
The Human Rights Law Centre is calling for stronger safeguards for the right to privacy and warned that these powers enable the AFP and ACIC to undertake significant invasions of privacy, encroach on the right to privacy, and threaten to have a chilling effect on the work of journalists and their sources.
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Submission to Inquiry into antisemitism at Australian universities
In a submission to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights’ inquiry into antisemitism on Australian university campuses, the Human Rights Law Centre has called for reforms that uphold Australia's commitment to international human rights standards, fostering a society that respects equality, freedom, and justice for all.
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Acknowledgement of Country
The Human Rights Law Centre acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands across Australia, including the lands of the Wurundjeri, Boon Wurrung, Gadigal, Ngunnawal, Darug and Wadawurrung people where we work from.
We pay our respect to Elders past and present. This land always was, and always will be Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land. Sovereignty has never been ceded.
WARNING: This site contains images or names of people who have passed away.