In the wake of interim orders made by the International Court of Justice on 26 January 2024, the Human Rights Law Centre calls for the Australian Government to use all efforts to prevent genocide against the Palestinian people, including by supporting an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

Change the Record and the Human Rights Law Centre are calling on the Miles Government to overhaul the state’s outdated, punitive youth justice system and redirect funding towards a future where no child grows up in a prison cell.

South Australian community services, human rights advocates and First Nations organisations are calling on the Malinauskas Government to raise the age of criminal responsibility to at least 14.

The Human Rights Law Centre has called on the Albanese Government to strengthen the powers of its new proposed Anti-Slavery Commissioner to enable the role to more effectively tackle modern slavery.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, human rights, social services, health, youth, religious and legal advocates have expressed deep concerns in an open letter about the mistreatment of children in the Victoria’s youth prisons.

The Human Rights Law Centre has called for an overhaul of the Public Interest Disclosure Act, the federal law protecting public servant whistleblowers, and a whistleblower protection authority to improve transparency and accountability in Australia’s democracy, in a submission to the Attorney-General’s Department. 

The ACT Court of Appeal has published previously secret judgments to mark the end of the Bernard Collaery and Witness K saga, underscoring the need for the Albanese Government to implement transparency and whistleblowing reforms. 

The COVID-19 pandemic laid bare the missing human rights considerations in federal government decisions and policies, the Human Rights Law Centre today told the Federal Government COVID-19 inquiry on behalf of the Charter of Rights campaign, a coalition made up of over 90 organisations. 

The United Nations torture prevention body has formally terminated its visit to Australia after being forced to leave the country early in October following the prevention of full access to prisons and mental health facilities in New South Wales and Queensland.

The Human Rights Law Centre welcomed the launch of an inquiry by the South Australian Parliament into whether the state should join Victoria, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory by enacting a Human Rights Act or Charter. 

Tasmania is set to become the first Australian jurisdiction to ensure no child under 14 years old will grow up in a jail cell, in an announcement welcomed by the National Raise the Age campaign, a coalition of more than 130 organisations. 

The Human Rights Law Centre and Asylum Seeker Resource Centre have condemned the Albanese Government’s proposed introduction of a preventive detention regime that would create a parallel legal system allowing migrants and refugees to be imprisoned on the basis of what they might do in the future.