Castan Centre for Human Rights Law

Author: MC

  • Indigenous reconciliation in Australia: still a bridge too far?

    By Melissa Castan, Castan Centre and Kerry Arabena, University of Melbourne Australia is being held back by its unresolved relationship with its Indigenous population. Drawing on attempts at reconciliation overseas, this series of articles explores different ways of addressing this unfinished business. Today, we survey where Australia is at. Recent news that Patrick Dodson had become a…

  • Constitutional recognition: two steps forward after one step back

    By Melissa Castan The work towards constitutional reform and Indigenous recognition saw some optimistic developments last week. “It was the rumble we had to have,” said Noel Pearson of the meeting between Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Indigenous leaders Patrick Dodson, Megan Davis, Kirstie Parker and himself. That meeting was a follow up to Abbott’s earlier…

  • The 2015 Human Rights Report – Indigenous Rights 2014/5: Death by a Thousand Paper Cuts?

    By Stephen Gray and Melissa Castan This piece is featured in the 2015 Castan Centre Human Rights Report. We will be featuring the articles on the blog throughout the month of May.  In the past twelve months, Australian Indigenous affairs have witnessed three so-called ‘developments’: more weighty and bewildering government reports; more unsuccessful test cases brought by…

  • Freeing the RDA ‘Free Speech’ submissions

    Some submissions on the proposed amendments to S18C & D, Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth): by Melissa Castan The Australian Government is currently considering amendments to section 18C and D of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975, and in March 2014 called for submissions on an exposure draft (available here). It has been estimated that over 5000…

  • Is the Australian government scared of children?

    Children’s complaints to the UN could embarrass Canberra, but should be heard. By Dr Paula Gerber and Melissa Castan Is the Australian Government scared of children? Is there any other explanation for why we have refused to sign on to the new system that allows children to bring complaints of human rights violations to the…

  • Victorian children to be seen and not heard

    By Erica Contini and Melissa Castan You could be forgiven for not knowing that the Victorian Parliament is passing unprecedented legislation limiting  the rights of young people to legal representation in child protection proceedings.  The changes were introduced last week, hidden in an obscure bill that gives no indication as to what it really contains,…