HAPPY NEW YEAR FOR HUMAN RIGHTS - in Victoria

17 days till the bells and whistle bring cheerful New Year's celebration and resolution, cool eh. A Charter of Human Rights for Victorians, great. A new Human Rights watchdog, hmm nice doggie.I'm troubled by a mix of excited pride and realistic concern for the Equal Opportunity Commission's crumbling staff morale and desparate financial difficulties.
This morning I donated blood to the Australian Red Cross - Blood Service and hopefully, this blood will find its way to support someone else. As the beautiful plumb red fluid flowed into its carry bag, I wondered who will donate a much need transfusion to the EOCV.

I've attached Attorney-General Hulls media release in which he significantly unleases Victoria's new Human Rights watchdog (reminds me of a scene from Cool Hand Luke. Will we too have "a failure to communicate"). Of course the Commission bares no resemblance to Paul Newman or a bloodhound. It looks more like an old mangy three legged lap dog. Maybe we'll become the human rights style queens striking a pose or is that an emperor without clothes?



FROM THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL - media release

DATE: Wednesday, December 13, 2006


HAPPY NEW YEAR FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

Victoria will make history in 19 days when the Human Rights Charter comes into effect from January 1, Attorney-General Rob Hulls said today.

“We will enter the new year as the first Australian state to have formal legal protection for human rights, with other states likely to follow our lead,” Mr Hulls said.

“This will be a historic day for Victoria as we fulfil our commitment to provide better protection of human rights for all Victorians.”

Speaking at the Equal Opportunity Commission Victoria’s annual Human Rights Oration, Mr Hulls said training for public servants was well underway ahead of the Charter’s full implementation in 2008.

“The Charter will ensure that when Victorian governments, present and future, make important decisions, they must do so with the civil and political rights of Victorians in mind,” Mr Hulls said.

“From January 1 next year legislation will be developed with regard to the rights set out in the Charter. New laws will require a statement of compatibility to advise Parliament on whether they meet the Charter’s standards.

“By January 1 2008 courts will be able to refer legislation back to Parliament for review if they find it inconsistent with the Charter, but they will not have the power to strike down legislation. The Parliament will have the final say.”

Victorian government departments and agencies will have to comply with the Charter and have regard for human rights in their day to day operations.

“The Charter is a commonsense move that simplifies our laws and bring together our human rights in one piece of legislation,” Mr Hulls said.

“Some important rights, such as freedom of speech and religion and freedom from forced work and degrading treatment, previously had no clear legal protection in Victoria.”

Next year the Equal Opportunity Commission Victoria will take on an important role as Victoria’s human rights watchdog.