As foreshadowed to members on 22 April the Attorney-General, Robert McClelland, recently introduced legislation as part of Australia’s Human Rights Framework to enhance parliamentary scrutiny of laws for consistency with our international human rights obligations.

The Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Bill 2010 establishes a new Joint Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights to examine and report to Parliament on the compatibility of legislation with Australia’s international human rights obligations. These obligations are contained in the seven core international human rights treaties to which Australia is a party, including:

• The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights;
• The International Covenant On Economic, Social and Cultural Rights;
• The Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination;
• The Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women;
• The Convention against Torture and Cruel and Inhumane and Unusual Punishment;
• The Convention on the Rights of the Child; and
• The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The Committee will have representation from both Houses of Parliament and will have the power to initiate inquiries into Bills, existing Acts and delegated legislation as well as conduct broader human rights inquiries. It will also be empowered to conduct public hearings when the Committee believes it would benefit from submissions from the public or particular expertise.

The Bill also introduces a requirement that each new Bill introduced into Parliament is accompanied by a Statement of Compatibility with our international human rights obligations.

CSA welcomes this legislation and the establishment of this committee rather than the creation of a national charter of rights.  It is a significant victory and reflects the positions put by CSA and other Christian organisations to the National Human Rights Consultation.

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