Equal Opportunity Commission welcomes Human Rights Charter recommendation

20 December 2005

The Equal Opportunity Commission Victoria today welcomed the State Government's announcement that it would enact a charter of human rights and responsibilities.

Commission Chief Executive Officer, Dr Helen Szoke said the decision demonstrated a commitment to human rights as a priority for the State.

Dr Szoke said a charter of human rights and responsibilities will ensure that human rights principles underpin all our laws and demonstrate the importance of human rights for all Victorians.

"It will mean that government and public authorities will have a duty to act in accordance with human rights principles."

Dr Szoke said the proposed charter was an important step for the State in terms of developing a sophisticated approach to human rights issues.

"Generally it is the human rights of minorities that are the most vulnerable, however governments are elected by majorities, and if the majority is unconcerned about the impact of legislation, policies and practices on minorities, issues concerning rights can vanish from the political landscape," she said.

An issue of particular significance to the Equal Opportunity Commission is that the proposed charter would effectively restrict discrimination that is currently allowed in Victorian laws unless such discrimination is absolutely necessary and intended by Government.

In effect all Victorian laws would have to comply with the principles of the charter.

"Currently if other laws permit unlawful discrimination there is no recourse regardless of whether the discriminatory legislation is deliberate or not," Dr Szoke said.

"The Commission appreciates that the Government has a reasonably sound record of respecting human rights but without mechanisms that create checks and balances our system of government is not fully equipped to adequately address human rights issues."