How are human rights protected in Australia ?
As a federation of states with a Westminster system of government, Australia ‘s system of human rights protection has evolved according to its own unique history, and alongside the international human rights system, during the 100 years since Federation. Our system of human rights protection can be found in • the Australian Constitution and the Constitutions of the States • centuries of common law, inherited from England • statutory laws, especially federal and state anti-discrimination laws • an independent judiciary • democratically elected governments • a free and questioning media • a strong, vibrant civil society, and • bodies created to advance the promotion and protection of human rights, such as the Australian Human Rights Commission. Australia has helped develop a range of international human rights laws and standards. We have also become signatories to them and have ratified them, which means that we’ve agreed to uphold these principles. However, this doesn’t mean that these
