Submission to the Review of Secrecy Offences
The Independent National Security Legislation Monitor (INSLM) is currently undertaking a review of secrecy offences in Part 5.6 of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth).
Current secrecy laws criminalise whistleblowers and journalists and undermine transparency and accountability in our democracy, ultimately harming national security.
The Human Rights Law Centre in its submission provided 13 recommendations, including:
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Repealing lower-level secrecy offences, with administrative sanctions used instead for minor breaches
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Penalties to be reduced to levels which are necessary and proportionate
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Narrowing and in some cases repealing entirely secrecy offences that apply to third-party, non-Commonwealth officers
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Establishing pathways for the national intelligence whistleblowers to disclose information in the public interest
Submission to Inquiry into the Whistleblower Protection Authority Bill 2025
The Albanese Government is being pushed take the opportunity to enact stronger legal protections for whistleblowers and establish a Whistleblower Protection Authority.
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Joint submission against expansion of the Making Queensland Safer Act 2024
The Human Rights Law Centre and Change the Record have are strongly opposed to the Crisafulli Government's laws that will sentence even more children to adult-length terms of imprisonment. The laws will lock up children for even longer, and harm kids, families, and communities.
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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.
Read moreACNC: 31 117 719 267 | Connect with the Human Rights Law Centre
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, Cammeraygal, Darug, Wadawurrung, Turrbal and Jagera 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.