ALHR Newsletter

ALHR Newsletters → 2010 → October → 19

A Much Needed Update

19/10/2010

Introduction

Again, I am forced to report to you that it has been a long time since my last newsletter. Again, my lame sounding but true plea in mitigation is that things have been busy and plenty has been happening.

CEDAW Closing Remarks

In my last newsletter at the end of August, I mentioned that the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women had issued its closing remarks as the final part of its review of Australia?s performance under the treaty.

A Little on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR)

Another UN process in which ALHR is currently having an input is the Universal Periodic Review that assesses Australia?s performance with regard to human rights generally including against international humanitarian law; the Charter of the United Nations; the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and human rights treaties like the International Covenant on civil and political Rights and protocols to that and other human rights treaties.

Children No Longer to be Behind Bars

On 18 October 2010, the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship announced a government decision to place asylum seeker children and families into the community. This very welcome and overdue change was the subject of an ALHR letter congratulating Mr Bowen and the government.

ALHR?s Role at the International Level: the Nuremberg Heritage

The National Committee has discussed the role of ALHR in speaking up about human rights events occurring beyond Australia's shores.

In a draft document considered at the September meeting, the committee took the view that ALHR has an important role in defending the Nuremberg Heritage.

Overseas Members (and others): A Call to Action

This is a call for members working overseas who are interested in being part of a committee of overseas members to register that interest by writing to our secretary, Natasha Case at [email protected].

David Marr in Queensland

The Queensland committee of ALHR, led by Jamie Nuich and Riley Power, in cooperation with Australians Against Capital Punishment held an enormously successful David Marr dinner on Friday, 8 October to mark World Day Against Capital Punishment which was held two days later.

I am coming to Melbourne (and Sydney)

Victorian co-convenors, Mandy Lister and Lily Tsen, have kindly organised an ALHR get together at the offices of Mallesons Stephen Jaques, this Thursday, 21 October 2010 from 6.00 pm to approximately 7.30 pm. Mallesons is located in Bourke Street at Level 50, Bourke Place, Melbourne

A Conclusion (at last)

Conclusion

This newsletter does not record all of the activities that have been or are taking place.

More activity may be expected in the future. Parliament and its committees are cranking up already with activity.

And a minority government promises plenty of opportunities for Australian Lawyers for Human Rights to be involved in influencing government decisions for the better.

Grist for the mill, as they say.

Stephen Keim

19 October 2010