President of CLA, Dr Kristine Klugman, has welcomed the proposed new right to take Supreme Court action to enforce the ACT’s human rights legislation. She congratulated Attorney-General Simon Corbell and Chief Minister Jon Stanhope for the initiative, and noted that the move would draw ACT Policing in under the Human Rights Act.
CLA welcomes ability to take action against public bodies
13 February 2008
“We congratulate Attorney-General Simon Corbell and Chief Minister Jon Stanhope for
bringing in a right for people take action on human rights abuses,” Civil Liberties Australia
president Dr Kristine Klugman said today.
‘This will help the powerless people, the ones who don’t have the money or the know-how
to challenge the system. They will have a way of making sure their basic rights are looked
after.
“We are also encouraged that the Attorney-General has said that the police will become
more accountable, and more responsive to the community, under this new law.
“The law applies to police enforcing Territory laws…which basically means it applies to
ACT Policing in all their actions, because enforcing the law is the basis of their contract
with the ACT Government.
“We think the government should specify, in the legislation, that the new law applies to all
aspects of the police contract, just to eliminate any chance of doubt.
“Giving ordinary people the power to stand up for their rights puts the ACT back in the
forefront of human rights jurisdictions in Australia,” Dr Klugman said.
END
See also the Canberra Times article on this matter.
Read Attorney-General Corbell’s letter about other human rights initiatives in the national capital.