Fearless action for a fair Australia Annual Report 2019 Contents
Josephine 1 Chair and Executive Director’s message Langbien, David Burke and Scott 2 Transforming the human rights landscape Cosgriff from the Human Rights Law 4 Protecting the human rights of refugees & people seeking asylum Centre’s asylum seeker and refugee 8 Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples’ rights rights team.
14 Dignity for people in prison Cover: Human Rights Law Centre’s 16 Reproductive rights Edwina MacDonald and Abdul aziz 18 Democratic freedoms Muhamat in Geneva. 22 Business and human rights 24 United Nations engagement 26 Our team 28 Financials 30 Our supporters 32 Supporter profile
Human Rights Law Centre Annual Report 2019 Chair and Executive Director’s message
Catherine Branson AC QC, Chair of the Board
Hugh de Kretser, Executive Director
Our ten year plan to transform the human rights landscape in Australia
The Human Rights Law Centre That’s why for the first time we’ve As always, strong, respectful works for an Australia where developed a ten year strategic plan partnerships will be central to everyone is free to lead a decent, to transform the human rights how we work. Partnerships with dignified life; where our laws, landscape in Australia. The plan has Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander policies and institutions promote four overarching goals: peoples and organisations, guided fairness and equality; and where by self-determination principles. people and communities have 1. Supporting people and Partnerships with fellow non-profit the power to address inequality communities to defend organisations to advance shared and injustice and ensure that human rights goals. Partnerships with law firms governments always act in the and barristers who provide expert 2. Transforming laws, policies public interest. pro bono resources to support and practices to advance our human rights action. And human rights Since our establishment 13 years partnerships with our donors ago, we have a proud record of 3. Ensuring governments, and philanthropic trusts and using legal action and advocacy to parliaments and businesses foundations who power our work. advance this vision. Over the past respect human rights year that record was strengthened We know that as a community, by the achievements you’ll see in 4. Ensuring accountability for we are at our best when our laws this report. But while we’re proud of human rights violations. and our actions reflect and protect our impact, we recognise that both the values – like fairness, equality, here and around the world, we are The plan also outlines the capability respect and compassion – that we seeing grave new threats to human we need to realise these goals. all share. At their heart, this is what rights. Threats to the very concept Undertaking legal action and human rights are about. This is that all people are equal and that advocacy for people whose rights what our plan will achieve. we should all treat each other with are threatened will remain core to respect and compassion. our model. But we will expand our We invite you to read our plan in communications and campaign full on our website, and to stand We need new tactics to respond to capacity to better engage with alongside us as we work towards these threats. We need structural supporters and build communities a fairer, more compassionate changes to improve our laws and of action to address human rights Australia. Thank you for your institutions. We need smarter, violations and promote change. ongoing support. more effective communication to strengthen community Under our plan, we will continue understanding and support for working on the impact areas in human rights. We need a long term this report. But we will also look to Catherine Branson AC QC focus on change. expand our impact in three key new Chair of the Board areas: the impact of climate change on human rights; the impact of technology on human rights; and realising the rights of people with disabilities. Hugh de Kretser Executive Director
Annual Report 2019 Human Rights Law Centre Annual Report 2019 1 Transforming the human rights landscape
An Australian Charter of Human Rights Our vision and Freedoms An Australia where the values Our lives are better when we all assess public understanding of laws Professor Gillian we all share – like fairness, treat each other with fairness and that currently protect human rights, Triggs and lawyer equality and compassion – respect and when we can enjoy our and help identify the messages Teela Reid at a community event in rights and freedoms. Unfortunately, that will best engage and motivate are properly reflected and Wangaratta discuss protected in our laws and powerful politicians and corporations people to support the creation of the need for people where everyone understands don’t always respect the rights of a Charter. and communities to individual people or communities. have stronger tools their rights and freedoms and We need to create an Australian to hold governments to account. has the power to take action Charter of Human Rights and to ensure that those rights Freedoms to help level the The Human and freedoms are respected playing field. Rights Law Centre’s Lee Carnie and and upheld. A Charter of Human Rights will Tom Clarke have developed a three ensure the decisions and actions year plan to build of our governments are guided by public and political the values of freedom, equality, support for the compassion and dignity. It will creation of an help everyone from school children The findings and recommendations Australian Charter of Human Rights to new Australians understand are informing our efforts to kick- and Freedoms. the rights and freedoms that we start a national conversation about all share and it will mean that if the need to create a Charter. We are someone’s rights are violated they using digital media to reach new can take action to get justice. audiences and increase support and we have also hit the road to hold The Human Rights Law Centre is various community events. building the public campaign to create an Australian Charter of While we build public support for a Human Rights and Freedoms with a Charter over the next three years, wide range of community and we’re also reaching out to foster not-for-profit organisations. political support and, with pro bono This year we conducted in-depth support from law firm Gilbert research, focus groups and online + Tobin, we are working with testing and surveys to examine leading legal experts to draft a community views on human rights, model Charter.
2 Human Rights Law Centre Annual Report 2019 A Human Rights Act for Queensland This year we celebrated a huge win This means that 23 vital human The Human Rights Law Centre for human rights in Queensland rights including freedom of provided expert legal advice along with a Human Rights Act passing association, freedom of expression, with logistical and strategic support through parliament. Queensland the right to education and the to the coalition of Queensland is now the third Australian right to humane treatment in community groups that secured this jurisdiction with a Human Rights detention will be better protected important reform. We will continue Act or Charter, joining Victoria and in Queensland law when the law to support Queensland community the ACT. comes into force in 2020. It will groups to use the Human Rights require government to properly Act to advance people’s rights in consider and comply with human Queensland. rights, and in the event it doesn’t, it will give people an avenue to seek redress and justice.
This year, the Human Rights Law Moves for Human Rights Centre welcomed Charters across Australia our first Government Relations Manager, The Human Rights Law Centre is Lauren Frost, also supporting efforts to achieve and our first Human Rights Charters in New Digital Producer, South Wales and Western Australia. Roselina Press. We want to secure Charters in all Australian jurisdictions to ensure better legal protection of human rights across Australia.
Pushing for balanced Religious Discrimination legislation The Human Rights Law Centre has By prioritising the interests of fix them. We also highlighted the long advocated for comprehensive, doctors who conscientiously object fact that the Prime Minister has not fair and effective anti-discrimination to providing certain health services delivered on his promise to address laws across Australia. Australia like abortion, the draft laws would discrimination against LGBTIQ needs stronger protections from threaten the ability of women and children in religious schools. It is discrimination for people of LGBTIQ people in particular to get outrageous that children can still be faith, but unfortunately, draft the health care they need. expelled from a school because of legislation released by the Morrison their sexuality or gender identity. Government this year contained a We engaged with the Government number of major flaws and failed to and in the media to highlight flaws strike the right balance. in the proposed laws and ways to
Hugh de Kretser with President of the Australian Human Rights Commission Rosalind Croucher AM and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet.
Annual Report 2019 Human Rights Law Centre Annual Report 2019 3 Protecting the human rights of refugees & people seeking asylum
Supporting Abdul aziz Muhamat to address Our vision the United Nations Australia’s cruel deterrence Abdul aziz Muhamat fled the war in Aziz delivered two statements Human rights regime is replaced with a Darfur, Sudan in 2013. He came on behalf of the Human Rights defender Abdul aziz fair and humane response to by boat to Australia seeking safety Law Centre at the United Nations Muhamat in Geneva where he is now but instead was forcibly taken to Human Rights Council urging the people who are forced to leave living after being their homes, which focuses on Manus Island. United Nations to hold Australia to detained on Manus safe passage and treats people account for its shameful continued Island for six years. We began working with Aziz in human rights violations in Papua seeking asylum with dignity, 2016 on one of Daniel Webb’s New Guinea and Nauru. Aziz’s compassion and respect. trips to Manus. Aziz was already a work is a powerful reminder of the prominent leader and advocate for incredible resilience of people sent the men trapped there. In February by Australia to offshore detention this year, Aziz received permission and the incredible human potential to travel to Switzerland to receive being wasted there. the prestigious Martin Ennals Award for human rights defenders. Aziz brought an asylum claim in Switzerland, which we supported, and he finally secured his freedom and safety when the application was approved. Aziz now lives in Geneva where he continues his human rights advocacy for the men and women still trapped in offshore detention.
4 Human Rights Law Centre Annual Report 2019 Australia and offshore detention in Nauru and Papua New Guinea.
Husbands and wives were ripped apart. Siblings were separated and several fathers had never met their own babies. Some families hadn’t seen each other for five years and were losing hope of ever seeing each other again.
Last year, we launched our campaign to end this cruel separation and reunite families. We lodged a major complaint against Australia at the UN on behalf of 63 people separated between Australia and offshore detention in Papua New Guinea and Nauru. We brought legal action in Australia and we undertook prominent advocacy in the Australian media.
Our action worked. Every single one of the families that we Families reunited after agonising separation represented are now together in Australia. It has been incredible This is baby Grace (not her real 5000 km away on a remote island to see kids hug their dads for the name). Grace was born in an in the middle of the Pacific. Grace’s first time, husbands and wives Adelaide hospital last year. Her father couldn’t hold his daughter reunited and families crying with mother, a refugee, had been held when she was born. He couldn’t joy at being together again. in Nauru for years and was finally watch her learn to crawl or speak her brought to Australia for medical first words. He couldn’t be there to But while these families are finally treatment when she was pregnant. celebrate her first birthday. No family in Australia together, their lives But the Australian Government should have to endure this suffering. remain precarious. The Morrison refused to let Grace’s father come Government refuses to allow with his wife. He was forced to Grace’s story highlights just one them to apply for a protection visa remain behind in Nauru. of the ways that the Australian here and maintains the threat of Government’s refugee policy deportation back to Nauru and Grace’s mother found herself caring inflicts tremendous cruelty on Papua New Guinea. Our work for her newborn baby in a foreign innocent people. It is a story that continues to ensure that they place without the support of her was repeated for dozens of families can have a safe and secure husband who was trapped almost agonisingly separated between future together.
All kids are now off Nauru
Human Rights In June 2018, the Australian Law Centre’s Government was still detaining Freya Dinshaw 142 children in Nauru. These with the Asylum children and their families were Seeker Resource Centre’s Kon suffering. After years of indefinite Karapanagiotidis, detention, children as young as nine GetUp’s Shen were trying to end their own lives. Narayanasamy, the Refugee Council As the crisis escalated, we joined of Australia’s with partners to launch the Kelly Nicholls and Welcoming campaign #KidsOffNauru to Australia’s Brad end the detention of children Chilcott in in Nauru. We played a critical Parliament. role through strategic advocacy, political outreach and advising and supporting refugee families in Nauru. The campaign, together with the legal action brought by us and partners, triggered a dramatic shift in public opinion. In February this year, the last children in Nauru were transferred off the island.
Annual Report 2019 Human Rights Law Centre Annual Report 2019 5 Protecting the human rights of refugees & people seeking asylum
Securing urgent medical evacuations from offshore detention Six years of limbo and suffering In response to this appalling and Every single one of our cases was has caused a major health crisis rapidly deteriorating situation, we successful. Many were harrowing in Australia’s offshore detention established an unprecedented pro and involved urgent court action. centres in Papua New Guinea and bono coalition to take urgent legal One case was heard by a Federal Nauru. Medical care is poor. The action in the Federal Court to Court judge at 1am on a Sunday Australian Government repeatedly bring people to Australia to receive morning for a young child who ignored or delayed acting on the medical care they needed. doctors advised might die within medical advice. People have died The coalition included more than 48 hours. Three cases were heard on from a lack of proper medical care. 13 law firms and over 30 barristers Christmas Eve. In just six months, across three states, supported by we secured urgent transfers to over 60 expert pro bono doctors and Australia for over 160 people, social workers. including more than 50 children.
Securing the Medevac legislation and medical transfers
February, the Nauruan Government Human Rights banned telemedicine to prevent Law Centre’s Australian doctors from speaking Hugh de Kretser with patients in Nauru for medical in Parliament with Kerryn Phelps AM. assessments.
The Australian Government then refused to accept Medevac applications where doctors had assessed people’s healthcare needs based on their detailed medical records, despite this being in line with standard Australian medical practice.
We challenged the Australian Government’s refusal in the Federal Court and won a major victory that has enabled sick men and No one should have to go to court Our expert legal advice and women in Nauru to access Medevac to get medical care. Last year, we advocacy in Canberra during crucial transfers for critical treatment. worked with partners including the periods of negotiation ensured that The Australian Government Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, the interests of people offshore appealed the decision but we fought GetUp!, World Vision and the remained paramount at all times. them in front of the Full Bench of Refugee Council of Australia to push the Federal Court. Just two weeks for legislation to ensure that people After the Medevac laws were ago, the Full Bench dismissed the held offshore would get the medical passed, we played a key role in Government’s appeal. help they needed by putting doctors establishing the Medical Evacuation at the centre of decisions about Response Group (Medevac Group). The Morrison Government is now medical transfer. This partnership of refugee support trying to repeal the Medevac laws. organisations works with a large At the time of writing, we were in This work culminated in February in team of incredible pro bono doctors Parliament working to save these the historic passage of the Medevac to ensure the safe, orderly and laws. The crossbench vote in the legislation. This legislation creates effective submission of applications Senate will be crucial. Together with a fair and transparent process on behalf of unwell refugees for our key partners, we launched a for medical evacuations of sick transfer to Australia for medical petition to #SaveMedevac that was refugees and people seeking asylum care. So far this group has secured signed by 51,000 people, which we to Australia. approval for over 200 people to took to Canberra to show politicians be transferred to Australia for that everyone deserves proper The fact that the legislation was medical treatment. medical care. passed with cross-party support and despite government opposition As part of our work in the Medevac Whatever happens with the vote on represented a major breakthrough – Group, we ran a legal challenge the Medevac laws, we will continue for the first time in years, there to the Australian and Nauruan to work hard to support the men was a break in the bipartisan Governments’ attempts to frustrate and women in offshore detention consensus that has plagued the Medevac process. Shortly and bring an end to this dark Australia’s refugee policy. after the Medevac laws passed in chapter in Australia’s history.
6 Human Rights Law Centre Annual Report 2019 Human Rights Law Centre’s David Burke at the High Court of Australia.
Ongoing High Court action to stop deportations to Manus and Nauru For more than four years, we have children so traumatised by years of than 550 people, including more fought to prevent the deportation of indefinite detention that they had than 200 children to offshore children, women and men back to lost the ability to eat or speak and detention. Every deportation serious harm in offshore detention. needed urgent psychiatric care. we prevent is a pivotal moment in the life of a person who has Hundreds of people have been We continue to lead an extraordinary sought safety from Australia. Our evacuated from offshore detention partnership of pro bono partners cases have meant that kids spent to Australia for urgent medical in high pressure, high stakes legal their childhoods in Australian care. They include women sexually action in the High Court of Australia. schools, parks and homes instead assaulted in Nauru, men attacked Through this work, we have of languishing in a detention and seriously injured on Manus and prevented the deportation of more camp offshore.
Shining a light on medical neglect in offshore detention
Human Rights Omid tragically died after setting Law Centre’s himself on fire in Nauru. His Katie Robertson at medical evacuation from Nauru the Coronial inquest to a specialised burns unit in investigating the death of Omid Australia took over 30 hours. Masoumali. Together with Maurice Blackburn Lawyers, we are representing Omid’s partner in the Coronial Inquest into his death. Medical evidence at the inquest in February indicated that Omid would have had a 90–95 per cent chance of survival if he had been treated in Australia within an adequate timeframe. Omid’s partner provided crucial evidence at the inquest.
The inquest is an important opportunity to expose the inhumane conditions suffered by Omid Masoumali, a young Iranian they spent almost three years in refugees and people seeking refugee, and his partner fled limbo, in conditions described by asylum held offshore in Nauru. their country in search of safety. the United Nations as “cruel, The Coroner is expected to deliver Instead, the Australian Government inhumane and degrading”. his findings in 2020. detained them in Nauru where
Annual Report 2019 Human Rights Law Centre Annual Report 2019 7 “Our mum Tanya Day died because Victoria Police targeted her for being drunk in public, and then failed to properly care for her after they locked her up in a police cell. We are waiting to hear from the courts whether the police will be held to account. Day family
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples’ rights
Justice for Tanya Day Our vision Tanya Day was a proud Yorta This is the first time in Australia Tanya Day’s A fair legal system that is Yorta woman and much-loved that a court has considered family hold a sister, mother, grandmother and whether institutional racism is smoking ceremony free from racial injustice before the inquest community advocate. In December a driving factor of Aboriginal and that upholds the into their mum’s 2017, she fell asleep on a train deaths in custody. death in police principles of dignity, from Echuca to Melbourne. A train custody. equality and Aboriginal conductor woke her up and, despite We assembled an exceptional team Credit: Charandev of barristers who cross-examined Singh and Torres Strait Islander her doing nothing, deemed her “an unruly Indigenous woman” and over 30 witnesses over three weeks, peoples’ right to called the police. with everyone working to ensure self-determination. the Coroner’s findings reflect the Rather than taking Tanya Day home truth of why Tanya Day was arrested or to a hospital, the police arrested and died, with recommendations her for being drunk in public. She to prevent future Aboriginal deaths was locked up in a concrete cell. in custody. The Coroner will hand She fell and hit her head on a down her decision in 2020. number of occasions, but the police officers responsible for her care failed to properly check on her. She lay injured on the floor for three “No police officer has hours. When the officers finally ever been held criminally entered her cell, they called 000 responsible for an Aboriginal but told the ambulance officers a death in custody in self-serving, untrue story about Australian legal history how she fell. She later died from a – despite hundreds of brain haemorrhage. Aboriginal people dying in custody. As Aboriginal The Human Rights Law Centre is representing Tanya Day’s family in people, we know that racism the coronial inquest into her death. was the cause of our mum’s In a landmark decision, the Coroner death and is the cause of so agreed to look at the role systemic much harm in this country.” racism played in her treatment Day Family and death.
8 Human Rights Law Centre Annual Report 2019 Tanya Day’s family Belinda Day (speaking) with Kimberly Watson, Warren Stevens and Apryl Watson. Credit: Charandev Singh
Repealing the offence of public drunkenness
Human Rights Law Centre’s “The Andrews Government Shahleena Musk with Apryl Watson is doing the right at a Melbourne thing repealing these event calling for discriminatory laws the offence of public drunkenness and putting in place an to be repealed. Aboriginal-led, public Credit: Jon Tjhia health response. If somebody is too drunk, they should be taken home or somewhere safe. They should not be behind bars.” Ruth Barson
Tanya Day’s family are formidable The law criminalises behaviour This is an incredible step forward, advocates. As part of this case, for some people that is completely but it’s also bittersweet. Had the we are working with them overlooked for others – most Victorian Government complied and the broader Aboriginal Australians will never be arrested with the recommendation of the community to abolish the offence on their way home from the races Royal Commission into Aboriginal of public drunkenness – a key or a night out with friends. Deaths in Custody 30 years ago, recommendation of the Royal Tanya Day would still be alive Commission into Aboriginal Deaths We met with ministers and decision today. As the inquest concludes in Custody almost 30 years ago. At makers, engaged with media and and we await the Coroner’s the time Tanya Day was locked up, rallied the broader sector to push findings, we will keep pushing Aboriginal women were at least ten for this reform. Together with the for accountability for deaths in times more likely to be targeted Day family, our advocacy led to the custody and for the recognition of by police for being drunk in public Victorian Government committing to the corrosive impact of systemic than non-Aboriginal women. abolish this discriminatory offence racism in our justice system. and replacing it with an Aboriginal- led, public health response.
Annual Report 2019 Human Rights Law Centre Annual Report 2019 9 Dujuan in Aboriginal & Torres Strait Geneva at the Islander peoples’ rights United Nations. Credit: Maya Newell
“Ten-year-old kids belong in schools and playgrounds, not in prisons, but Australia’s archaic laws are ripping children from their families, community and culture and throwing them into concrete cells. Decent politicians would raise the age of criminal responsibility to prevent harm to vulnerable children behind bars.” Shahleena Musk
Fighting to keep kids in schools and communities, not in prison
Right now, across Australia, laws to push for this reform across the Council. After his speech, allow ten-year-old kids to be Australia. We’ve met with key UN Human Rights Commissioner arrested, hauled before courts and decision makers and ministers in Michelle Bachelet requested to locked away in prisons. We know almost every jurisdiction and we’ve meet Dujuan, saying she was that sending kids to jail causes spoken about children’s rights “shocked to learn that the age of terrible harm, yet each year around on national radio and television. criminal responsibility in Australia 600 kids under the age of 14, the Momentum is building, with the is only ten years old.” majority of whom are Aboriginal or Australian Medical Association Torres Strait Islander, are torn from and the United Nations calling on Shahleena also briefed the their families and communities. governments to raise the age. Committee on the Rights of the Child, informing its review of the The Human Rights Law Centre has In September, Shahleena Musk and Australian Government’s record been advocating for governments to Edwina MacDonald worked with on the rights of children. The listen to the overwhelming evidence Dujuan, the 12-year-old star from Committee subsequently called that shows that kids have a much the powerful documentary In My on Australia to raise the age. brighter future when they stay in Blood It Runs, his family and the their communities. Together with film-makers at the United Nations Raising the age of legal Aboriginal partner organisations, in Geneva. We supported Dujuan to responsibility is a straightforward we’ve been calling on all Australian deliver an impassioned statement reform that will make a huge governments to raise the age of to the Human Rights Council about difference. Together with our legal responsibility from ten to the need to raise the age of legal partners, we’ll keep pushing 14 years. responsibility so that kids aren’t to keep kids in classrooms and hurt in prisons and the need for playgrounds, and at home with We’re coordinating coalitions of Aboriginal-led schools. Dujuan was their families and communities, lawyers, doctors and advocates the youngest person ever to address not in courtrooms or prison cells.
Changing the Record on Indigenous over-imprisonment More people in Australia are being The Human Rights Law Centre As part of the coalition, we have removed from their families and is a founding member of Change met with members of parliament, communities and forced into the Record, a coalition of leading ensuring the voices of Aboriginal prisons than at any other time in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations are at the heart of our history. Aboriginal and Torres and human rights organisations advocacy, pushing for a fair and just Strait Islander peoples are being working to end the mass legal system for all. hit hardest. Government laws imprisonment and disproportionate and policies across Australia are violence experienced by Aboriginal In the last year the coalition has criminalising poverty, entrenching and Torres Strait Islander people. been influential in leading national racial injustice and paving the We are part of the steering efforts to end the prosecution and way for the mass-imprisonment committee which is instrumental in imprisonment of children, including of Aboriginal and Torres Strait advancing the policy and advocacy assisting with a motion in the Islander peoples. goals of the coalition. Senate and a private member’s bill to reform Commonwealth laws.
10 Human Rights Law Centre Annual Report 2019 Building a fair youth justice system in the Northern Territory
Shahleena Musk Since the release of the Northern and Ruth Barson Territory Don Dale Royal of the Human Commission’s recommendations, Rights Law Centre’s the Human Rights Law Centre has Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander been working with key youth justice peoples’ rights team. stakeholders, including Aboriginal organisations and government representatives, to implement key recommendations.
We have been instrumental in reforms to laws and policies that have increased access to diversion and support for families, which will help keep kids out of prison. We are proud to have seen this work lead to a reduction in prison numbers and particularly in the number of kids in prison on remand.
Challenging mandatory sentencing laws in WA
Western Australia is the only In a significant decision, Supreme “This boy is too young to jurisdiction that still sends kids Court overturned the boy’s sentence have a licence or a Facebook to prison under mandatory and made it much easier for other sentencing laws. children to avoid being sentenced to account, yet he has had to an automatic 12 months in prison front the Supreme Court In March, together with the as a result of draconian mandatory and argue against laws that Aboriginal Legal Service of Western sentencing laws. could send him to prison.” Australia, we represented a 12-year- Shahleena Musk old Aboriginal boy who faced We continue to advocate for all prison under the state’s punitive mandatory sentencing laws to be three-strikes burglary laws. The boy abolished because we know that had serious neurodevelopmental these laws perpetuate generations impairments and was following of discrimination by the legal older boys at the time of the trouble. system against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Getting kids out of police cells in Queensland In July, the Human Rights Law are no place for children. On any “Holding children in police Centre secured an important given day, there were close to 80 watch houses for weeks on victory in the fight for a fair and kids, some as young as 10, being humane youth legal system in held in these horrific conditions. end is not just cruel, it is Queensland. After months of public unlawful. The Queensland pressure, and spurred by our threat Working in partnership with Government has a legal of imminent court action, the the Aboriginal and Torres Strait obligation to move kids out Queensland Government agreed to Islander Legal Service, Caxton of watch houses quickly – move kids out of police cells and to Legal Centre and a team of pro rather than leaving them to work to end the practice of holding bono barristers, we threatened to languish. No matter what kids in police watch houses. take the Queensland Government the policy challenge is, to court, arguing that it was unlawfully holding children Earlier in the year, journalists at Four unlawful to warehouse children Corners aired an exposé into the in police cells and that kids have in inhuman conditions can treatment of kids in Queensland’s basic rights to family, fresh air and never be the answer.” police cells. We became involved education. Just before we were due Ruth Barson when the Government failed to end to file the court documents, the this appalling practice. Queensland Government made the announcement. Hundreds of kids across Queensland had spent weeks on This important win for children’s end locked in tiny concrete police rights in Australia was the result cells built for adults. With no access of a strong collaborative effort to sunlight, education or proper between journalists, lawyers and health checks, police watch houses human rights advocates.
Annual Report 2019 Human Rights Law Centre Annual Report 2019 11 Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples’ rights
Raising the alarm on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women’s over-imprisonment Building on our influential 2017 address the over-imprisonment of report with Change the Record on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander “We must see a move away Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and girls. We also took our from tough on crime and women’s over-imprisonment, the advocacy to the UN, partnering law and order approaches. Human Rights Law Centre has with Antoinette Braybrook, CEO of Australian governments continued to raise the alarm on Djirra, who delivered a statement this rapidly worsening problem to the UN Human Rights Council must halt building new and to push for reform to tackle it. highlighting that women are being prisons and expanding We engaged with the Aboriginal unfairly torn from their families them. They must stop and Torres Strait Islander Social and imprisoned for issues relating locking up our people and Justice Commissioner’s Wiyi Yani U to poverty, disability, family taking our mothers away.” Thangani (Women’s Voices) project to violence, homelessness and trauma. Antoinette Braybrook, CEO of Djirra urge the adoption of strategies to
Pushing for independent investigation of police misconduct
Horrific cases of police brutality Human Rights continue to come to light, revealing Law Centre’s Ruth systemic problems and a lack of Barson with the accountability within Victoria Police. family of Tanya Day who are calling In collaboration with lawyers, for police to stop advocates and victims of police investigating police. abuse, the Human Rights Law Credit: Charandev Centre continues to advocate for Singh independent investigations of all serious cases of police misconduct. To end wrongdoing and ensure accountability, the practice of police investigating police must end.
Stopping the Australian Government from making life harder for mothers Single parents have enough on their for days because of computer and plates and experience poverty at service providers’ mistakes. “Our government should much higher rates than two-parent be thanking women for families. Rather than recognise the The Human Rights Law Centre is the endless hours of enormous burden shouldered by collaborating with peak Aboriginal single parents, most of whom are and women’s organisations to breastfeeding and nappy- women, the Australian Government end this discriminatory program. changing, not threatening to introduced a program that asks We briefed a Senate committee, leave them without money them to do more or face being participated in media interviews, for food for them and their financially penalised. met with politicians and advocated babies.” to the United Nations. Adrianne Walters Called ‘ParentsNext’, this punitive program targets single parents with As a result of the collaborative babies as young as six months. campaign, the government was Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander forced to make some changes. parents are disproportionately While these were positive, they are affected. The program is linked a long way from addressing the with a largely automated system sexist and racist foundations of the of financial sanctions. In some of program. We continue to collaborate the worst cases, women with young with Aboriginal organisations for kids have been left without money the program to be scrapped.
12 Human Rights Law Centre Annual Report 2019 Djirra’s Amanda Bresnan and Antoinette Braybrook and Human Rights Law Centre’s Adrianne Walters and Monique Hurley.
Challenging the discriminatory work-for-the-dole regime harming remote Aboriginal communities The Australian Government’s remote As a key member of a dedicated work-for-the-dole scheme, the coalition led by Aboriginal Peak “The system is ‘Community Development Program’, Organisations NT, we’ve been discriminatory, it’s unfair has been causing harm in remote advocating for the government that we have to do twice Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander to scrap this oppressive program, as many hours of activities communities since July 2015. lobbying decision makers and supporting legal actions under the as people in the cities. The At its worst, the program Racial Discrimination Act. We’ve [program] is also confusing, required some people in remote been calling on the Government things aren’t properly communities to work 760 hours to listen to Aboriginal and Torres explained to us. It’s hard to more each year than their inner-city Strait Islander peoples who have see the point. The activities counterparts, without receiving any developed alternative proposals for don’t help us get jobs.” extra remuneration. Many people job creation and wellbeing in their Jamie Ahfat, forced work-for-the-dole have had to work five hours per day, communities. participant, Northern Territory five days per week doing tasks that they should have been employed As a result of sustained advocacy by to do, but instead have received a Aboriginal, human rights and union social security payment equivalent groups, the Government introduced to nearly half the national reforms in March 2019 that have minimum wage. A punitive no- alleviated some of the worst harms payment penalty system has driven of the program. up poverty and hunger in families.
Combatting the coercive and discriminatory cashless debit card policy Since the Australian Government’s We have briefed a Senate Northern Territory Intervention in Committee and are meeting with “The unwarranted haste 2007, tens of thousands of people politicians, advocating for this of imposing the cashless have been forced to participate in discriminatory bill to be rejected welfare card on our Income Management – a policy that by Parliament. It is time for denies many people the freedom the Government to listen to communities recalls for to control their personal lives. Aboriginal people in the NT, us the disastrous and Now, the Federal Government is who are demanding a transition ill-advised imposition of trying to impose a new form of away from compulsory income the Intervention on our income control, in what Aboriginal quarantining, towards policies communities without organisations have described as that return freedom and control consultation and without “another Intervention” into the NT. to their communities. our consent. The injustice and trauma of the Alongside the Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance NT, Central Land Intervention still burns Council and Arnhem Land Progress with us. Once again, we Association, we are fighting against are stigmatised and targeted a Bill that would turn the whole as not being capable or Northern Territory into a Cashless worthy of managing our Debit Card trial site. own affairs.” John Paterson, Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance NT
Annual Report 2019 Human Rights Law Centre Annual Report 2019 13 Dignity for people in prison
Ending routine strip searching Our vision Strip searches involve forcing The information we uncovered led Human Rights Governments are working someone to remove their clothes to Tasmania banning the practice of Law Centre’s towards closing rather than in front of two prison guards. routinely strip searching children. Ruth Barson. opening prisons and all people Routine strip searches are invasive, This built on the progress made in dehumanising and an utterly 2018, with landmark laws ending behind bars are treated with archaic practice. Children as young routine strip searching of children dignity, with prison operators as 10 are being routinely strip in the Northern Territory and policy and governments held to searched by prison guards. reforms in Victoria, which have account for mistreatment. drastically reduced the use of strip The Human Rights Law Centre made searches in women’s prisons. a suite of Freedom of Information applications which unearthed The Human Rights Law Centre shocking data on the huge numbers also joined the WA Independent of strip searches that governments Inspector of Custodial Services’ call are undertaking on women and for an end to routine strip searches. children in prisons across Australia. The Inspector called them “pointless, repetitive and dehumanising” Children in prison are much given the harm caused and the more likely than children in the extremely low rates of prohibited community to be survivors of items detected. Almost a million violence and sexual abuse and to strip searches had taken placed in struggle with their mental health. WA prisons in five years, including But, in one month alone, kids at strip searches of 374 children (half two facilities in NSW were strip who were four years old or younger) searched 403 times. Only one item – visiting family in prison. a ping pong ball – was found. We will continue to push for a swift end to this degrading practice in all prisons, with a focus on women’s and kids’ prisons.
14 Human Rights Law Centre Annual Report 2019 Shining a spotlight on Victoria’s broken mental health system Increasingly, prisons are becoming The Human Rights Law warehouses for people living with a Centre engaged with the Royal “Prisons are fundamentally mental illness. People experiencing Commission into Victoria’s Mental ill-equipped to help people, mental health issues are being Health System to address this especially young people, forced into the quicksand of the issue. We recommended keeping criminal legal system, rather than treatment and support in the experiencing mental illness. being provided with care and community, raising the age of The Victorian Government supported in the community. criminal responsibility from 10 to should improve diversion Fifty-three per cent of young people 14 years, providing more diversion opportunities at every stage in Victorian prisons present with opportunities at all points in of the criminal legal process mental health issues. Sixty-one the criminal legal process and and raise the age of criminal per cent of men and 65 per cent reforming bail laws to prevent responsibility. It is inhuman of women in prison report the criminalisation of people to use prisons as a dumping experiencing a mental health experiencing mental illness. ground for people with condition. mental illness.” Shahleena Musk
“In total I was put in the slot for nine months. I’ve never been the same since. A letterbox flap would drop outside, and I’d jump. Or it would be just the sounds; people walking around behind me ...
The day I was let out of here, they led me out of the slot in handcuffs to the front gate ... I was on the bus in green pants, everyone was looking at me. I jumped off the bus early and started crying ...
I couldn’t wait in the line at Stopping solitary confinement in Victoria Centrelink with 100 other Solitary confinement can inflict The report details harrowing people. Do you know how long-term and irreversible harm experiences, including cases of hard that is, when the only on people, from anxiety and young people in Victoria’s Port person you’ve seen for depression, to hallucinations, Phillip Prison held in effective the last nine months was psychosis and risk of suicide. solitary confinement for over 100 yourself in the mirror?” days and put into cells described Adult prisoner, quoted in the This year, our advocacy played a as “exceedingly bleak” and “brutal”, Ombudsman’s report on solitary key role in progressing an end to with faeces and flooded floors. At confinement solitary confinement in Victoria. the Malmsbury youth jail, a 16-year- Our team provided expert and old Aboriginal boy was isolated 45 practical advice that helped times in 12 months. shape a landmark report from the Victorian Ombudsman, which for We continue to advocate for all the first time called on the Victorian governments to ban solitary Government to prohibit the use of confinement in law. solitary confinement.
Annual Report 2019 Human Rights Law Centre Annual Report 2019 15 “We are grateful to the countless women who have been fighting for this landmark reform for decades. It is a critical reform, supported by 77 per cent of people in NSW, which will see abortion finally treated as a healthcare matter rather than a crime.” Edwina MacDonald
Reproductive rights
A huge win for women in NSW Our vision In a huge win for women’s Now, we are setting our sights Human Rights Every person has the right reproductive freedom, abortion is on reform in South Australia and Law Centre’s to make decisions about no longer a crime in NSW. NSW law Western Australia. South Australia’s Edwina MacDonald calls for abortion to now recognises the right of women, 50-year-old abortion laws still make their own body. Australian be decriminalized laws and policies must and all pregnant people, to make it a criminal offence to terminate a in NSW. promote the health, choices about their bodies and pregnancy in certain circumstances. futures in consultation with their We engaged with the South dignity and reproductive doctor, free from the fear Australian Law Reform Institute’s freedom of women and all of prosecution. review of South Australia’s outdated pregnant people. abortion laws, and welcome Together with the NSW Pro Choice the Attorney-General’s recent Alliance, led by the Women’s commitment to introduce a bill to Electoral Lobby, we worked with decriminalise abortion in early 2020. MPs across the political divide to relegate NSW’s 119-year-old In Western Australia, abortion criminal abortion laws to the pages continues to be regulated as an of history. Across critical stages of exception to criminal laws, which the reform process, we provided is causing hardship for women in expert legal advice to MPs and key distressing circumstances. We will stakeholders on the Bill, proposed continue to advocate for abortion to amendments and advocated for be regulated as healthcare, rather laws that would respect autonomy than as a criminal matter. and equality. Our work built on our successful advocacy with key The Human Rights Law Centre is partners to decriminalise abortion committed to eradicating laws that in Queensland last year. deny women freedom and control over their bodies. We will continue With 77 per cent of people in to fight to remove every last legal NSW supporting a woman’s right barrier to reproductive health care to choose, this should have been in Australia. a simple reform. But we had to overcome the cynical tactics of a handful of politicians determined to hold back women’s rights.
16 Human Rights Law Centre Annual Report 2019 Human Rights Law Centre’s Adrianne Walters, Maurice Blackburn’s Jennifer Kanis and Dr Susie Allanson formerly of the East Melbourne Fertility Control Clinic.
“With today’s decision, women in Victoria and Tasmania never again need to worry about being forced to run a gauntlet of abuse to access abortion care. Safe access zones are here to stay.” Adrianne Walters
High Court affirms the right to safe and private access to abortion
No one should have to run a in establishing safe access zone team – DLA Piper and barristers gauntlet of abuse and harassment laws in Victoria. The laws put an Kate Eastman SC, Frances Gordon just to see their doctor. Safe end to the abuse and harassment and Chris Tran – we successfully access zones around abortion that women and health clinic staff intervened in the case to defend clinics ensure the safety, dignity had endured for decades. safe access zones. and privacy of women accessing reproductive healthcare. So when anti-abortionists trying to In a historic decision in April, the wind back the clock on women’s High Court confirmed that the safe Four years ago, we played a rights challenged these laws in the access zone laws in both Victoria central role alongside staff at the High Court, we responded. Together and Tasmania are valid. Safe access Melbourne Fertility Control Clinic with an expert pro bono legal zone laws are here to stay.
Securing safe access to The Human Rights Law Centre laws strike the right balance has helped to achieve safe access between a woman’s right to reproductive healthcare zone laws now in all Australian access healthcare and freedom of around Australia jurisdictions barring South Australia expression. In 2020, we’ll be fighting and Western Australia. We are now to end anti-abortion harassment working closely with grassroots outside clinics in Western Australia. advocates and politicians to The importance of these reforms secure safe access zone laws in was underlined by the approval of those remaining states. In South 40-day permits for anti-abortionists Australia, a private member’s bill to undertake ‘prayer vigils’ in two was introduced into Parliament locations in WA this year, exposing in September. We welcomed the staff and patients to intimidation development but urged minor and harassment. amendments to ensure that the
Annual Report 2019 Human Rights Law Centre Annual Report 2019 17
Democratic freedoms
Defending our freedom to gather together Our vision and protest Australia’s democracy is The Human Rights Law Centre The NSW Government also thriving with an informed, defends protest rights to ensure introduced harsh, unnecessary fair and diverse public debate, that Australians are free to gather proposed laws targeting protest strong participation by a together and speak out on the activity on agricultural and forestry robust civil society and a free things that they care about. land, including public land. and independent press. Our From winning the right to vote for women to saving the Franklin River, At the Federal level, the Morrison governments always act in the the power of protest has been Government introduced laws public interest and are open vital in achieving positive change targeting agricultural protest and and accountable to the people in Australia. announced it would seek to outlaw they serve. secondary boycott campaigns Despite the 2017 defeat of that try to pressure Australian Tasmania’s harsh anti-protest laws companies not to do business in the High Court, we are seeing with other companies involved in a worrying proliferation of anti- environmental harm or human protest laws that restrict people’s rights violations. ability to engage in peaceful protest. These laws strike at the heart of our We will continue to push for the democracy. The Human Rights Law withdrawal, amendment or repeal Centre has been at the centre of of excessive anti-protest laws and efforts to respond. explore options for challenging them in the courts. In October, in the wake of several high-profile climate action protests, the Queensland Parliament passed a law that unreasonably criminalises peaceful protest tactics with penalties of up to two years. The Palaszczuk Government failed to provide any evidence to support their claims that the new laws were needed.
18 Human Rights Law Centre Annual Report 2019 Alice Drury and Emily Howie of the Human Rights Law Centre’s democratic freedoms team.
Protecting whistleblowers and defending press freedom The June Federal Police raids on the detention. Courageous people This announcement barely ABC headquarters and journalist who expose wrongdoing should be addresses the press freedom issues Annika Smethurst’s home were encouraged to come forward and raised by the raids. It won’t prohibit another chilling demonstration of protected when they do so. Instead, the prosecution of journalists how excessive government secrecy, they are being threatened with a for public interest journalism, it increasing authoritarianism and prison sentence. will only require the Attorney- a creeping surveillance state are General’s consent to do so. The undermining press freedom and The Human Rights Law Centre Attorney-General also announced the ability of whistleblowers to has been working for years to that the Government will look into expose wrongdoing. protect press freedom and the simplifying and strengthening ability of whistleblowers to reveal whistleblower protections. The raids follow the aggressive wrongdoing. This work intensified prosecution of a number of this year. In the wake of the police We will continue to defend press whistleblowers, including the raids, we briefed two separate freedom and we will continue to shameful prosecution of Witness parliamentary inquiries about advocate for laws that encourage K and his lawyer Bernard Collaery the urgent need for the reform of and incentivise whistleblowers to for their role in revealing that the dangerous laws that allow mass speak up. Australian Government had bugged surveillance of communications the Timor-Leste cabinet room and that criminalise whistleblowers. during sensitive negotiations about Working with key partners, we have oil and gas revenue. identified a range of policy reforms “It is shameful to see the Australian Government needs Witness K and Bernard Whistleblowers and public interest to adopt and we have advocated for Collaery prosecuted journalism are vital to the health these reforms in Canberra and in for revealing that the of our democracy. Australians the media. Australian Government have a right to know what our spied on its fledgling governments are doing in our In response to this and the wider neighbour Timor-Leste name. Australian whistleblowers public criticism, the Attorney- for financial gain. People and journalists have revealed General announced that he misconduct ranging from police has instructed Commonwealth who reveal government corruption to kerosene baths prosecutors to obtain his approval wrongdoing should be in aged care and the inhumane before prosecuting any journalists. protected, not prosecuted.” treatment of people in immigration Emily Howie
Annual Report 2019 Human Rights Law Centre Annual Report 2019 19
Democratic freedoms
Fighting corruption To strengthen democracy and over who is meeting with NSW broadening the public lobbying trust in politics, the public needs government decision-makers register and strengthening laws to know who is influencing and stop industry from buying to stop politicians and staffers political decisions. An Independent political favours. from accepting lobbying jobs Commission Against Corruption after Parliament, are a step (ICAC) inquiry has given NSW a We engaged with the ICAC review to in the right direction. We will chance to lead the nation on this. inform its recommendations and to be advocating with the NSW ICAC is investigating how NSW ensure they strike the right balance. government to implement the laws can improve public scrutiny ICAC’s suggestions, including recommendations.
Cleaning up political donations and election spending The Human Rights Law Centre In the wake of Palmer’s spend, we Queensland. Our work also seeks builds trust in our democracy by are pushing for urgent reform to to ensure that spending limits working to remove the distorting limit election spending at the federal operate fairly across the board and impact of money in politics, so that level. We led a parliamentary briefing don’t inadvertently silence charities politicians are focused squarely on from 11 civil society organisations, or small grassroots campaigns the public interest and the needs of representing interests ranging from contributing their valuable the people. from environmental protection to perspective on electoral issues. gambling and gun control reform. Limits on political donations and We are pushing for a limit on the election spending are vital to amount of money political parties, preventing the undue influence of candidates, campaigners and “Without limits on political big money and achieving greater third parties can spend on donations and election political equality. Without limits, federal elections. spending, politicians will politicians will respond to those respond to those with with the biggest bank balance, NSW, Tasmania and the ACT already the biggest bank balance, instead of those with the best limit the amount that can be spent instead of those with the ideas. The issue was highlighted during elections and in October best ideas. Australians are in the last federal election after the Queensland Government fed up with the status quo. Clive Palmer’s reported $60 million announced that it will limit campaign spend, double the political donations and spending in We need a level playing combined projected expenditure Queensland elections. This has the field.” of the Australian Labor Party and potential to be a game-changing Alice Drury Liberal Party. reform to strengthen democracy in
20 Human Rights Law Centre Annual Report 2019 Slowing the creep of mass surveillance – facial surveillance and metadata surveillance scheme. We warned We also pushed for the urgent the Parliament’s security and reform of metadata laws. Under intelligence committee that the the laws, telecommunication proposed scheme was dangerously companies must retain records of overbroad, lacked safeguards every single person’s calls, texts, and could dramatically alter the and internet browsing history freedom of ordinary people going for at least two years. In 2015 the about their daily lives. Our work Government claimed the mass helped to convince the committee surveillance laws were necessary to reject the scheme. to investigate serious crimes like murder, but the data has also The stalling of the federal proposal been sought to investigate minor The Human Rights Law Centre does not, however, impact the use offences, such as parking fines challenges mass surveillance to of live facial recognition technology and littering, and the laws lack ensure that charities, journalists, at local and state levels. Live facial the necessary safeguards to protect lawyers and activists can freely recognition has reportedly been our fundamental right to privacy. undertake their work without risks used covertly by a Perth council The Australian Federal Police of interference and reprisals. and Stadiums Queensland. We are have also used the laws to access now advocating for robust facial the communications history We played a lead role in raising recognition laws across the country of journalists. alarm over the Morrison built on the principles of privacy, Government’s badly flawed transparency and proper oversight. plans to implement a facial
Defending workers’ right to freedom of association Trade unions play an integral role unions which would undermine It also makes strike action, a in a healthy democracy, helping workers’ ability to stand together. fundamental tenet of freedom of workers to exercise their right to The plans would give it the power association and assembly, a ground safe and fair work conditions. At to deregister unions, ban officials for disqualification. a time when wage theft is making for misconduct and would give any headlines, wage growth is at employer and government Ministers We have advocated against the record lows and work is becoming overreaching powers to interfere proposed laws, in the media and increasingly insecure, the advocacy in union leadership and hinder by engaging with the Senate work that trade unions do on behalf democratic decision-making by committee investigating them. of workers is vital. members. The proposed law would In November, the Government’s allow disqualification of union proposed law was rejected by This year, however, the Morrison officials on dubious grounds such as the Senate. Government revealed plans to the late filing of paperwork. impose drastic new regulations on
Stripping a person’s citizenship can and in some circumstances Ending harsh citizenship have devastating consequences. It without a court determining that removal policies can separate families, deny freedom the relevant conduct occurred. of movement and can leave a person This means people can have their stateless and indefinitely detained. citizenship removed based on false Stripping a person’s citizenship is a information, in a scheme with drastic step that must not be done in insufficient opportunities to rectify an arbitrary way. incorrect decisions. Worse still, children as young as 10 can have We have been pushing for the their citizenship removed. repeal of recently introduced Since the laws were introduced, terrorism laws that allow the at least one person’s citizenship Australian Government to strip has been wrongly revoked based Australian dual nationals of their on an incorrect assumption of citizenship. The laws are excessive, dual nationality. unreasonable and lack effective safeguards. Citizenship can be lost for lower level criminal conduct
Annual Report 2019 Human Rights Law Centre Annual Report 2019 21
Business and human rights
Securing new modern slavery laws Our vision In January this year, our work Human Rights There is no business in abuse. paid off with modern slavery laws Law Centre’s Keren passing the Australian Parliament. Adams with Allan Australian companies respect Mogerema, whose Since then, we have been pushing human rights wherever community in PNG for the introduction of similar laws they operate and are held were forcibly evicted in New South Wales. by Australian accountable if they fail to developers. do so. The new laws will shine a much- needed spotlight on modern slavery by requiring large Australian Keren Adams companies for the first time to open presenting to the Modern Slavery up their books and report publicly Inquiry. In recent years, a series of scandals on what they are doing to stop have revealed forced labour in the slavery in their supply chains. supply chains of some of Australia’s But transparency is only the biggest brands; Burmese migrants first step towards accountability. chained to Thai fishing boats The new laws have some critical supplying our seafood; Australian weaknesses. Companies that fail to surfwear made in North Korean report or provide false information sweatshops; and even here in will face no financial penalties and Australia, people working on farms there is currently no independent and construction sites in slave-like oversight to ensure that companies conditions. The need for new laws comply. The Human Rights Law to compel Australian businesses Centre will continue to push for to address modern slavery in their stronger laws to eradicate slavery supply chains is acute. and properly protect the rights of The Human Rights Law Centre has workers who make the products we been at the forefront of pushing use every day. for the first modern slavery laws in Australia. We have advocated in the media, before parliamentary committees and in meetings with politicians from all political parties.
22 Human Rights Law Centre Annual Report 2019 Keren Adams being shown the site of a mass grave near Kilwa, Democratic Republic of Congo. Community members allege that Australian company Anvil Mining supplied crucial logistical support to the DRC military who carried out the massacre.
Exposing Australian corporate human rights abuses overseas Our Nowhere to Turn report, ranging from the brutal 2014 to the Australian Government published in December 2018, murder of Reza Berati by G4S guards on these issues. In addition to highlighted serious human rights to BHP’s devastating Samarco reforms to the AusNCP, the report abuses by Australian companies dam collapse in Brazil and ANZ’s has contributed to a government operating overseas, with involvement in financing land grabs review in 2019 to consider ways to recommendations for reforms to in Cambodia. strengthen Australia’s corporate improve accountability and access criminal liability laws. to justice in Australia. The report, which involved collaboration with civil society The report examined ten examples organisations and unions in a of serious human rights abuses range of countries, has been a key linked to Australian companies, tool in our subsequent advocacy
Reshaping Australia’s principal corporate complaints body Australia’s primary corporate Until recently, the AusNCP was complaints, and a new Advisory complaints body is the Australian under-staffed, under-resourced and Board to oversee complaints. Our OECD National Contact Point had never made a finding against Legal Director, Keren Adams, was (AusNCP), based within the an Australian company. That’s why appointed to the Advisory Board Department of Treasury. The the Human Rights Law Centre led in March 2019, and since then has AusNCP has the power to mediate a two year advocacy campaign been working to further improve disputes, make findings against to overhaul the body and give it the body. companies and recommend the powers and independence to reforms. Past complaints to the properly investigate allegations The overhaul of the AusNCP has body have related to illegal land of abuse. already contributed to its first grabs financed by Australian banks, ever finding in 2019 against an labour abuses in Australian-run This year our work paid off with the Australian company for breaches factories and assaults and announcement of major reforms to of the OECD Guidelines, with sexual abuse by Australian the body. The reforms included the recommendations for redress to private contractors on Manus appointment of a new independent a woman sexually assaulted in Island and Nauru. examiner, Mr John Southalan, to one of Australia’s offshore investigate corporate human rights detention centres.
Annual Report 2019 Human Rights Law Centre Annual Report 2019 23 “No government can truly stand for human rights while choosing to severely damage the lives of innocent people.” Edwina MacDonald
United Nations engagement
Holding Australia to account Our vision Australia was elected for a three- cruelty of our offshore detention Human Rights Australia upholds the year term on the UN Human Rights regime, the harm caused by our Law Centre’s Council in October 2017, presenting government’s over-imprisonment of Edwina MacDonald. international human rights Credit: Hannah a good opportunity for our nation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander standards it has promised Woodward play a constructive and principled peoples and more. Videos of our to comply with and role on global human rights issues. statements delivered in front of UN champions human rights experts and representatives from on the world stage. To maximise this opportunity, governments from around the world the Human Rights Law Centre have generated extensive media launched a dedicated program of coverage and reached hundreds of action, monitoring the Australian thousands of people on social media. Government’s membership, influencing it to take a positive Our work at the Council has also stand on global human rights issues contributed to collaborative efforts and drawing attention to Australia’s to strengthen UN human rights domestic human rights failings to mechanisms and we have briefed UN build pressure on our Government human rights experts and officials to improve its human rights record on human rights issues in Australia. at home. An example of this was briefing the UN independent expert on poverty Our advocacy for Australia to step up on how the Australian Government’s its game internationally is having an use of digital technologies, such impact. We saw a great example of as in the Robodebt scandal, was this in 2019 when, for the first time, exacerbating income inequality the Government used its voice at and driving struggling families the Council to lead a joint statement into deeper poverty. Our briefing outlining concerns of serious human informed the Special Rapporteur’s rights abuses by Saudi authorities. report, who warned that there is a grave risk the Morrison Government Our advocacy for the Australian is “stumbling zombie-like into a Government to lift its game and digital welfare dystopia” if serious stand up for human rights at home changes aren’t made to Australia’s was also successful. We have used social security system. each Council session to keep the international spotlight onto the
24 Human Rights Law Centre Annual Report 2019 Abdul aziz Muhamat at the Supporting diverse UN in Geneva. voices to address the UN
In 2019, we prioritised supporting –– Antoinette Braybrook, CEO diverse voices to address the of Djirra, who told of the Human Rights Council to highlight human toll of the alarming domestic human rights issues and rates of Aboriginal and Torres build pressure for change. Not only Strait Islander women’s is this the right thing to do, it is also imprisonment and the impacts Dujuan meets UN High Commissioner effective. Human Rights Law Centre of punitive welfare policies for Human Rights statements were delivered by: such as ParentsNext (joint Michelle Bachelet. statement with Djirra); Credit: United –– Abdul aziz Muhamat, a former Nations Office of the Manus detainee, who urged the –– University of Sydney senior High Commissioner UN to hold Australia to account health researcher Cristyn for Human Rights for its shameful continued Davies, who called for the human rights violations on renewal of the UN sexual Manus and Nauru; orientation and gender identity expert role and highlighted Djirra’s Antoinette –– Dujuan, the 12 year old star key challenges for Australian Braybrook addresses of the film In My Blood it Runs, governments (joint statement the UN Human and the youngest person ever to Rights Council. with the Human Rights Council address the Council, who spoke of Australia). about the need to raise the age of legal responsibility so that kids aren’t hurt in prisons and the importance of Aboriginal led education;
We joined over 1300 non-governmental organisations from 174 countries in Maintaining focus on the successfully calling for the renewal of the UN independent expert on sexual rights of LGBTQ people orientation and gender identity. The role has been important in promoting around the world LGBTQ people’s rights to be free from violence and discrimination.
We briefed the Committee on the Rights of the Child for its review of the Protecting the Australian Government’s record in upholding and protecting the rights rights of children of children in accordance with international law. As a result, the UN child rights experts said that Australian governments should be doing more to protect and promote child rights, and expressed serious concern over the low age of criminal responsibility, the rate at which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are forced into prisons and the high number of children in detention without even being charged with an offence.
Abuse thrives behind closed doors and Australian governments have Opening places of maintained an ‘out of sight, out of mind’ approach to places of detention detention to scrutiny for too long. It was welcome news that the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture announced that they will visit Australia to shine a light on abuses in places of detention, including adult prisons, youth prisons, police lock-ups and immigration detention facilities. It will be the first inspection since Australia signed the UN anti-torture optional protocol 18 months ago. The Human Rights Law Centre tirelessly advocated for Australia to sign onto this important UN mechanism. We will now work to ensure this international scrutiny is used to hold the government to account for mistreatment in our places of detention.
We were watching when the Morrison Government failed to sign on to a Standing up for United Nations Human Rights Council statement calling for access to safe women’s reproductive abortions, comprehensive sexuality education and sexual reproductive health rights health. We drew media attention to the issue, leading to hours of questioning at Senate Estimates, extensive media coverage and a positive commitment from the Opposition to support women’s reproductive health rights.
Annual Report 2019 Human Rights Law Centre Annual Report 2019 25 Our team
Our staff
Hugh de Kretser Emily Howie Ruth Barson Keren Adams Edwina MacDonald David Burke Executive Director Legal Director Legal Director Legal Director Legal Director Legal Director
Michelle Bennett Tom Clarke Freya Dinshaw Adrianne Walters Shahleena Musk Hollie Kerwin Communications Campaigns Director Senior Lawyer Senior Lawyer Senior Lawyer Senior Lawyer Director
Scott Cosgriff Alice Drury Monique Hurley Josephine Langbien Lauren Frost Rachel Richmond Senior Lawyer Lawyer Lawyer Lawyer Government Development Relations Manager Manager
Anna Fordyce Roselina Press Marta Zajac Emma Costa Alycia Gawthorne Arif Hussein Operations Digital Producer Fundraising and Administrator and Communications Lawyer Coordinator Events Officer Paralegal Officer (to September 2019) (to March 2019)
Katie Robertson Lee Carnie Whitney Chen Daniel Webb Legal Director Senior Lawyer Administrator Legal Director (February to October (to August 2019) (to September 2019) (on leave of absence, 2019) returning February 2020)
26 Human Rights Law Centre Annual Report 2019 Our board
Cathy Branson Andrew Carriline Chris Sidoti Jamie Gardiner Padma Raman Chair Non-executive director International human Vice-President, Executive Director, Former President of the rights consultant Liberty Victoria Australian Human Rights Australian Human Rights Commission Commission
Sue Woodward Tim Goodwin Ben Kiely Jessica Kendall Jon Webster Head of Not-for-profit Barrister Partner, King & Wood Associate Director, Consultant, Allens Law, Justice Connect Mallesons Essential Media (until October 2019) (from October 2019) Communications (from October 2019)
Secondee lawyers Volunteers and interns Administration and finances
Madeleine Causbrook Audrey Packer Cook The Human Rights Law Centre is provided Ashurst Volunteer, The University of Melbourne with bookkeeping, accountancy and (to March 2019) administrative services through a shared Tess McGuire services agreement with Justice Connect. MinterEllison Jamie Gardiner We are grateful for the support of our Volunteer, the Human Rights Law Centre’s Justice Connect colleagues who provide Anna Lane Expungement Legal Service (to June 2019) these services. MinterEllison (to September 2019) Olivia Henderson Sophie Gordon-Clark Dan Poole Intern, University of Technology Sydney Chief Operating Officer Hall & Wilcox (May until September 2019) and King & Wood Mallesons Pathways Program (October 2019) Ella Cattach Geordie Bundock-Livingston Office Manager (Melbourne) Ashurst (to April 2019) Emma Dunphy Jacinta Fox Office Manager (Sydney) Lander & Rogers (to June 2019) Michele De Gilio Jordan Tsirimokos Finance Manager Ashurst (May to October 2019) Shankeetha Thayaharan Finance and Payroll Officer
Roger Harper Finance Officer
Marija Ivanovska Assistant Accountant (to September 2019)
Annual Report 2019 Human Rights Law Centre Annual Report 2019 27 Financials
Statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income For the year ended 30 June 2019
Income 2019 $ 2018 $ Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Rights Program (Including: BB & A Miller Foundation; Corella Fund; Gandel Philanthropy; Kimberley Foundation; Limb Family Foundation; Perpetual; Rae and Peter Gunn Family Foundation; Reichstein Foundation; Ross Trust; Shulu Foundation; 430,412 380,611 Snow Foundation; Trawalla Foundation; Vicki Standish Family Foundation; Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation) Asylum Seeker & Refugee Rights Program (Including: Allen & Overy; Australian Communities Foundation; BB & A Miller Foundation; Grenet Foundation; 559,960 481,204 Lander & Rogers; Planet Wheeler Foundation) Marriage Equality Campaign 511,837 The Myer Foundation – Safeguarding Democracy Grant 159,298 250,000 Equity Trustees – Safeguarding Democracy Grant 61,613 BB & A Miller Foundation – International Human Rights Grant 100,000 100,000 The Sigrid Rausing Trust 155,853 166,884 Oak Foundation 94,406 Australian Communities Foundation 101,295 Victorian Government Department of Justice and Regulation 56,000 55,000 Virgin Unite 50,000 50,000 Caledonia Foundation 50,000 English Family Foundation 38,498 Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation 25,000 Other Grant Income 303,239 385,961 Individual Donations 327,166 340,835 Corporate Donations 223,975 145,228 Interest 38,315 27,021 Human Rights Dinners & other events 184,899 200,709 Other Income 37,262 29,088 Total Income 2,997,191 3,124,378
Expenditure Occupancy expenses 37,316 32,984 Operational and administration expenses 1,032,100 1,197,153 Employee benefits 1,811,385 1,773,362 Total Expenditure 2,880,801 3,003,499
Total Comprehensive Income 116,390 120,879
28 Human Rights Law Centre Annual Report 2019 Statement of financial position As at 30 June 2019
2019 $ 2018 $ Current assets Cash and cash equivalents 2,126,067 2,056,422 Trade and other receivables 63,330 103,999 Total current assets 2,189,397 2,160,421 Total non-current assets 158,273 200,414 Total assets 2,347,670 2,360,835
Current liabilities Trade and other payables 95,213 88,712 Provisions 276,806 258,180 Grants received in advance 978,239 1,137,154
Total current liabilities 1,350,258 1,484,046
Non-current liabilities Provisions 30,345 26,112 Total non-current liabilities 30,345 26,112
TOTAL LIABILITIES 1,380,603 1,484,046
NET ASSETS 967,067 850,677
Equity Retained earnings 967,067 850,677
TOTAL EQUITY 967,067 850,677
This is an extract of the HRLC’s audited financial statements for the year ended 30 June 2019. For a full version visit www.hrlc.org.au
Annual Report 2019 Human Rights Law Centre Annual Report 2019 29 We couldn’t do it without you
Our generous supporters who gave between 30 November 2018 and 1 December 2019
Australian Peter Almond Jac Fitzgerald Barbara Trauer $50,000+ $5,000–9,999 Communities Peter Cashman Jacquie Coupe Charmaine Chew Australian Anonymous Donor Foundation – Lois Rachel Connor Jean & Andrew John Cindy Hauser Communities Ann Marie Delahunt Bryson Fund Foundation – Impact Australian Rob Cooper Jeannette Abrahams Elissa Campbell Fund Australian Communities Communities Robert Stary Jennifer Edge Elizabeth Clark Australian Foundation – Ballandry Foundation – Scarlet’s Sarah Andrews Jenny Morgan Emma Browne Communities Fund Fund Simon Sonter Joanna Betteridge Ian Dunn Foundation – Williams Bobby Sundaralingam Fund Australian Sue Woodward Joel Townsend Ian Freeman Communities Charles Tegner Australian Government Susanne Weress John Christie James Turnbull Foundation – Espero Claire Kenna – Attorney-General’s Fund Susie Allanson Joseph Muraca Kathryn Miller Department Craig Lenehan Australian Ted Woodward Julian Barson Lachlan Musicman B B & A Miller Crisp Nominees Pty Ltd Communities Therese McCarthy Kate Gillingham Laura Grenfell Foundation Foundation – Story Damian Abrahams Tom Clarke Katie Sweatman Liz Snell Caledonia Foundation Street Fund Damien Gance Tony North Ken Hamilton Peta Heffernan Corella Fund Colin Biggers & Paisley Dennis Altman Wendy Brooks Kieren Chester Peter Williams Global Fund for Human Emily Forbes Elaine Pearson Rights Krista Eleftheriou Sam Drummond Fremantle Foundation Elizabeth Evatt Limb Family – Duffield-Thomas $500–999 Kristof Mikes-Liu Sharon Hollis Emily Christie Anonymous Donors Foundation Family Fund Kyle Siebel Simon Underschultz Felicity Hampel Adele Moloney The Myer Foundation George and Freda Leana Papaelia Fiona McLeay New Venture Fund Castan Charitable Alan Kirkland $200–299 Foundation Leslie Kilmartin Frank Mahlab Alastair Nicholson Adrian Lowe Oak Foundation Linden Woodward Hall & Wilcox Gary Singer Allison O’Toole Ailsa McDermid Planet Wheeler Lisa Mortimer Foundation Jamie Gardiner Gilbert + Tobin Anna Gigliotti-Skret Alice Opper Mark Blumer Sigrid Rausing Trust Jon Webster Greg Connellan Annette Madvig Andreas Cassinides Mark Orr Vincent Fairfax Family King & Wood Mallesons Greg Thomas Anthony Abrahams Andrew Giles – DigDeep workplace Maryanne Dever Foundation Guy Campbell Australian Andrew Vagg giving Michael Ahrens Hannah Casey Communities Ann Porcino Lyn Gilbert Foundation – Michael Cowen $10,000–49,999 Holmes Family Pomegranate Anne Cregan Anonymous Donor Matthew & Foundation Michael Dalton Sophie Mullins Foundation Anneliese Gillard Andrew Sisson Ian Repper Michelle Gortan Michael Kingston Australian Bruce Hardy Anne Coombs & Susan Ian Whitney Communities Michelle Hannon Nautilus Foundation Cameron Herbert Varga Jane Matthews Foundation – Reeve Natasha Case River Capital Fund Cassandra Goldie Antipodean Family Jerry Adams Peta Severn Foundation Foundation Barry Gold Catherine Hutton Jo Renkin Philip Alston Australian Small Giants Ben Saul Daniel Cook John Cameron Philip Grano Communities Suzanne Cory Ben Slade Daniel Evans Foundation – Fairness John Howie Philip Lynch The Shulu Foundation Beverley Newbold Emily Fuller Foundation Josh Kinal Phillip Cornwell Tom Calma Bayside Refugee Evelyn Krieger Australian Chris Maxwell Robert Telford Communities Tom Snow Advocacy & Support Gareth Evans Justin Gleeson Association Rolfe Bozier Foundation – Sunning Tracey Sisson Gary Bourke Hill Fund Karen Loblay Carolyn Creswell Rowan Ewing Victor Pillay Georgia Probst Ben Kiely Karen Probst Cassie McGannon Sally McLean Weir Anderson Graeme Edgerton Catherine Branson Kathryn James Chris Kakris Sally Nicolson Foundation Haroon Hassan Emily Campbell-Pretty Lisa Button Christopher Sidoti Sara Rafiee Jeff Loewenstein & Adrienne Wilson Mark Bradley Clare Brennan Sarah Joseph $1,000–4,999 Jeffrey Mellefont Evans5 Fund Anonymous Donors Mark Madden Colin Neave Simone Sheridan Jenny Leong Gandel Philanthropy A Keith Lethlean Marlene Morison David Krasnostein Stu Knibbs Jessica Chapman King & Wood Mallesons Alison Lansley Martyn Goddard David Richards Tomislav Nikolic Jessie Bodor Kimberley Foundation Allens Mary Blight David Yarrow Victoria Marles Jill Reichstein Krystyna Campbell- Angelica Madrigal Michael Cohn Dominique Saunders William Haebich Pretty John Tobin Annie Duncan Michael Hodge Donald Ritchie William Irving Lander & Rogers Jonathon Hunyor Arnold Dallas Mitzi Gilligan Edward Santow Lord Mayor’s Charitable $300–499 Kate Jeffery McPherson Montmorency Asylum Frances Tolhurst Foundation Seekers Support Group Alastair Greenall Kathryn Schultz Australian Gitanjali Bajaj Michael Cebon Communities Myles Kunzli Adrian Morgan Kelly Butler Foundation – Amos Hamish Black Reichstein Foundation Paul Batley Alexander Jorgensen- Kevin Boreham Family Fund Hannah Lewis Hull Snow Foundation Paul Wood Kevin Lindgren Helen Dunstan Andrew Chan Trawalla Foundation Penny Wright Kristin Fedorow Isobel Booksmythe
30 Human Rights Law Centre Annual Report 2019 Kym Duggan Diane Schaffer Mike Salvaris Laura Connor Diane Spearritt Narelle Graefe Pro bono support Leslie Mack Dominic Dietrich Natalie Morgan Pro bono support from leading law firms and barristers is Li Mei Brusey Dusan Stevic Natasha Sekulic crucial to our impact. Law firms we worked with over the Lisa Adkins Edith Seuret Nicholas Boyle 2018/19 financial year provided around 10,000 hours of pro Margaret Douglas Eleanor Thomas Norton Q Sloan bono legal work to support our work, including undertaking Marius Smith Emily Mason Paige Darby legal action, research, writing human rights case summaries Mary Nicholson Emily Schneider Pamela Lyon and seconding lawyers to us. The value of this work was around Megan Casey Emma Hunt Paul Caine $4 million. Many barristers provided substantial additional Merrin Mason Emma Lutwyche Paul Jowett pro bono support. These amounts are a testament to the Michael Griffith Emma McGuire Paul Mitchell extraordinary professional commitment of Australian lawyers Nha Trang Nguyen Eric Mowbray Penny Harris to human rights, the rule of law and access to justice. We are Pamela Tate Eugene White Penny Sharpe incredibly grateful for this support and thank all the pro bono Perambalam Gabrielle Holly Peta Severn lawyers who worked alongside us. Senthooran Gail Angus Peter Frank Peter de Waal Garry Bickley Peter Johnstone Ralph Saubern Gary Cheung Rachel Walters Richard Karaba Ged Egan Rawan Arraf Firms Barristers Allen & Overy Adam Baker Kate Eastman SC Robyn Ayres Geoff Bower Rebecca Eckard Allens Adam Hochroth Kathleen Foley Rose Mann Geordie Bundock- Rebecca Szabo Ashurst Dr Adam McBeth Kylie Evans Rowan Minson Livingston Riley Ellard Baker McKenzie Albert Dinelli Lachlan Allan Sarah Heesom George Theodoridis Robert Briggs Banki Haddock Fiora Andrew Quinn Laura Hilly Sean Crosby Glenn Osboldstone Robert Hayes Carroll & O’Dea Andrew White Lisa De Ferrari SC Sean Selleck Helen Enright Rosemary Kayess Lawyers Anna O’Callaghan Louise Coleman Simon Ellis Helen Hardwick Sadhna Jithoo Carina Ford Bernard Quinn Marion Isobel Sophie Arnold Helen Howells Sally Stockbridge Immigration Lawyers Brenda Tronson Mathew Kenneally Ting Lim Ian Hurley Samuel Gow Clothier Anderson Brendan Lim Matthew Albert Trish Langford Jack Gracie Sandra Abrahams Clayton Utz Caoilfhionn Gallagher Matthew Collins QC James Margenberg Sarah Buckley Colin Biggers & Paisley $100–199 QC Min Guo Jane Doyle Sarah Colgan DLA Piper Anonymous Donors Christopher Horan QC Naomi Hart Jaqui Lane Sarah Matheson Gilbert + Tobin Adam Pulford Christine Boyle Nic Cozens Jeanette Lawrence Sarah Purnell Geroro Lawyers Adele Glue Christopher Tran Nicholas Cowdery QC Jenn Roberts Sarah Werner Hall & Wilcox Alastair McEwin Claire Harris QC Olaf Ciolek Jennifer Smith Satcunam Herbert Smith Freehills Alice Wickett Claire Palmer Paula Morreau Joe Slaven Saravanamuthu Holding Redlich Andrew Morrison Craig Lenehan SC Perry Herzfeld John Burke Sean Brereton K&L Gates Andrew Walter Dr Dominic Katter Peter Hanks QC John Buxton-Rella Selena Papos King & Wood Mallesons Angela Jaeschke Danielle Forrester Peter Morrisey SC John Feneley Shraddha Kashyap Lander & Rogers Angie Wong David Hughes Prue Bindon John Greenwell Simon Finfer Maddocks Asger Kjaerum David Hume Rachel Amamoo Julie Cassidy Stan Rosenthal Marque Lawyers Barb Taylor Elizabeth Bennett Rachel Mansted Julie Reilly Sudha Mani Maurice Blackburn Barbara Baumgartner Emma Bathurst Rachael Young Juris Greste Sue Travers McCabe Curwood Barbara Tynan Emrys Nekvapil Renee Enbom Karl Mathiesen Susan Ball McCullogh Robertson Barrie O’Connor Eugenia Levine Raph Ajzensztat Kate Meikle Susanna Ritchie MinterEllison Ben Moxham Evelyn Tadros Robert Gordon Kir Larwill Susanne White Norton Rose Fulbright Bernadette Kelly Fiona Batten Ron Merkel QC Kristine Klugman Suzanne de Kretser Perry Maddocks Bodaniel Jeanes Fiona Forsyth QC Lachlan Simpson Sylvia Yamanaka-Mead Trollope Lawyers Ronald Webb SC Brenda Appleton Frances Gordon Lee Ann Basser Vedran Drakulic Phi Finney McDonald Roshan Chaile Brett Vaughan Georgina Costello SC Lenka Vodstrcil Victoria Cook Robinson Gill Rudi Kruse Bridie Egan Greg McIntyre SC Linda Connor Vivienne Goodes Slater and Gordon Sarah Zeleznikow Brigid Symes Haroon Hassan Lisa Newcombe Zoe Kanat Stacks Goudkamp Shipra Chordia Bronwyn Naylor Jacinta Forbes QC Liz Fernando Webb Anderson Simona Gory Caine Foundation Fund James Emmett Liz Lindberg Wotton + Kearney Simeon Beckett Caitlin White James Mighell QC Louise Brown SBA Law Stephen Keim SC Cameron Lavery James Stoller Louise Jenkins Russell Kennedy Stephen Warne Carolyn Jeffries Jennifer Robinson Lucy Adams Stella Gold Catherine Evans and Jim Hartley Madeleine Bridgett Sousan Oboodi Jenny Stokes John Maloney Maggie Miles Stephanie Clancy Catherine Murphy Jonathon Barrington Marcia Neave Tim Farhall Catherine Petracco John Southalan Marcus Fazio Tim Jeffrie Charlotte Dare Julia Watson Marianne Hong Timothy McEvoy QC Cheryl Kavanagh Julie Buxton Mary Anne Noone Tom Brennan Chris Fox Justin Wheelahan Mary Debrett William Newland Chris Povey Kanaga Dharmananda Mary O’Sullivan Zelie Heger Christina Coombe SC Mary Petr Colin Oberin Maureen Mcdonald Colleen Mack Medha Sengupta Danielle Pozer In kind support Megan Kemmis Darcy Wilson Thank you to the many other friends, family and organisations Meggy Tan David de Kretser who provided in kind support for our Human Rights Dinners – Mele-Ane Havea David Little donating auction items, agreeing to be auctioned, hosting events Melissa Emanuel Deirdre McKeown Michael Appleby and much more. Diana Beere
Annual Report 2019 Human Rights Law Centre Annual Report 2019 31 “Giving back makes me feel like I am helping others do things that I don’t have the capacity to do myself at this stage of my life, timewise with my career and geographically, living here in country Victoria.” Karen Probst
Supporter profile
In 2015, feeling Karen had given to charity since the back to compassionate side. That’s Karen Probst, beginning of her career as a lawyer, when we shift attitudes”. Human Rights Law disillusioned with a tradition passed on to her from Centre donor. the scapegoating of her Christian upbringing which “I’ve experienced adversity in my refugees and the negative taught her to value compassion life, I’ve worked hard not to judge impact of money on and empathy towards others. Karen others or myself too harshly – decided to give to the Human Rights everyone has a story and often politics, Karen Probst Law Centre because of its work society is too quick to judge.” decided to increase her advocating for refugees and asylum Karen has passed on her interest seekers and its strong track record philanthropic giving in social issues to her two children, delivering systems change. and began supporting Campbell and Georgia. Georgia is the Human Rights Karen believes that if you look at now following in her footsteps and Law Centre. the world and aren’t happy with has become a regular donor to the what you see then you need to take Human Rights Law Centre. action and that philanthropy is a “When Georgia started her first job, great way to make a difference. I encouraged her to give back “Giving back makes me feel like I 10 per cent of what she earns. am helping others do things that I Georgia did some research on the don’t have the capacity to do myself charities I support and she chose at this stage of my life, timewise to give to the Human Rights Law with my career and geographically, Centre because it works on a broad living here in country Victoria.” range of human rights issues and it’s fighting for systemic change Karen believes that successful rather than providing material aid human rights advocacy is to help individuals.” dependent on listening to other people, finding common ground and using the right language. If you are interested in becoming “So many of the issues we talk a regular supporter or would like about can be divisive and talking to make a donation, please contact about the issue itself, rather than Rachel Richmond, Development the impact it has on people’s lives Manager on 03 8636 4488, email can be unhelpful. We need to bring [email protected] or it back to the values we agree on – visit our website: hrlc.org.au/donate
32 Human Rights Law Centre Annual Report 2019 Stand up for human rights
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