Rudd’s 2010 challenge: an Australian Human Rights Act

Calls from the ACL for a referendum, oddly supported by Liberal Senator George Brandis SC, reflect what seems to be a deliberate distortion of our constitutional rules. A referendum is required to change the constitution. It is not required for an ordinary act of parliament.

Why does this group operating under a “Christian” banner choose to create such confusion about protecting human rights?

It seems that the ACL and its supporters are dedicated to campaigning against same sex marriage and abortion. They are perfectly entitled in our democracy to do this. What is wrong with their current petition campaign is that, unable to achieve progress by campaigning directly for their objectives, they have chosen to misrepresent the purposes of and manufacture unfounded fears about the proposed human rights act. This proposed law is not about changing our democratic arrangements, nor is it a back door way of advancing controversial issues. It is about the parliament using its powers to do what every other democracy in the world has done, and improve legal protection for those who fall through the cracks of our generally fair and equitable society.

We now await the government’s response, with high expectation that the Rudd government will put the needs of the vulnerable ahead of the unfounded fears of a vocal and well resourced minority.