The package sent to the Prime Minister includes recommendations for better legal protection of human rights, human rights education and training, institutional reform, public support for human rights work, and a human rights audit of federal legislation. It also calls for a review of the recommendations to Australia made by the United Nations and a public endorsement of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Speaking for the Human Rights Council of Australia Chris Sidoti noted that Australia had played a leading role in drafting and adopting the Universal Declaration. It was one of the eight States that drafted the Declaration and Australia’s Minister for External Affairs Dr HV Evatt, was President of the United Nations General Assembly when it adopted the Declaration. “We should lead the world again now in commemorating this important anniversary by reaffirming our commitment to human rights through practical action”, he said. 

“There have already been important steps taken by the Government this year. We welcome Australia’s ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the National Apology to Indigenous Australians, the commitment to ratify the Optional Protocol on the Convention Against Torture and other international human rights treaties, and the changes in refugee policy and practice,. However, a lot more needs to be done to re-establish Australia’s human rights credentials.”

The package of initiatives was prepared by the Human Rights Council of Australia and endorsed by the foremost Australian human rights and development organisations, including A Just Australia, Amnesty International, Australian Lawyers for Human Rights, Brotherhood of St Laurence, Edmund Rice Centre, Evatt Foundation, GetUp, Human Rights Law Resource Centre, Oxfam Australia, Public Interest Advocacy Centre, Rights Australia and World Vision.