Castan Centre for Human Rights Law

Category: Auslaw

  • The Eurovision human rights conundrum

    On Saturday night, we have that annual marvellous celebration of kitsch, the Eurovision Song Contest.  Jedward, the Irish twins seemingly devoid of the embarrassment gene, are back, Russia promises to entertain with its troop of provincial grannies, while the UK has resurrected a 76 year old Engelbert Humperdinck for the occasion. Yet these delightful absurdities…

  • Why alleged police abuse must be investigated independently

    By Adam Fletcher There is currently a case before the Victorian Supreme Court (Bare v Small and Others) in which a young Ethiopian man claims he was abused by Victoria Police (an officer allegedly broke his teeth against a gutter, capsicum-sprayed him while he was handcuffed and racially abused him during the course of an…

  • Doctors’ views on same-sex marriage are ill-informed

    By Paula Gerber The Herald Sun has reported (13 May 2012) that 22 Victorian doctors have come out in opposition to same-sex marriage on the basis that “the evidence is clear that children who grow up in a family with a mother and father do better in all parameters than children without“. The clear inference…

  • Australia FINALLY gets a children’s rights commissioner

    By Paula Gerber On 27 April 2012 the Gillard Government made a long overdue announcement that it will appoint a national children’s commissioner. This person (yet to be selected) will join the six existing commissioners at the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC): Human Rights Commissioner (The Hon. Catherine Branson QC); Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander…

  • Nystrom v Australia – Human Rights Umpire Snubbed Again

    By Adam Fletcher In September last year, the UN Human Rights Committee adopted its Views in the case of Nystrom v Australia, which said Australia had violated Mr Nystrom’s rights under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). You may have read about Stefan Nystrom in the papers – he was deported to Sweden in December…

  • Transparency and accountability – is the UN leading by example?

    By Adam Fletcher Last Friday (the 13th, appropriately enough given the bleak news), the Supreme Court of the Netherlands ruled that the Women (aka Mothers) of Srebrenica could not sue the United Nations (UN) for failing to protect their families during the well-documented 1995 massacre. There are at least two ways to look at this.…