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ALHR Newsletter
ALHR Newsletters → 2011 → December → 02
ALHR National Newsletter
02/12/2011
Time has flown again and our monthly newsletter is a little overdue.
I am astonished as I look back over the year and reflect on the noise made by our wholly voluntary association on key international and domestic human rights issues. Hopefully, 2012 will allow our contributions to sensible debate to be even more expansive. If you wish to be take a more active part in ALHR activities, please approach your State or Territory convenor(s) and advise them of your particular areas of interest. One of the logistical difficulties of any voluntary organisation is the challenge of accessing the talent and energy of the broader membership.
As Human Rights day approaches, I am also reflecting on the importance of human rights norms in a world where hypocrisy and selfishness represent the default instincts of nations and individuals. I am impressed by the extent to which even though engaged in 'barbarous acts' are driven to deny them in human rights language. I wrote a paper for Online Opinion on the footholds gained by human rights values in our collective consciousness in the 63 short years since the UDHR was adopted by the General Assembly on 10 December 1948.
At the end of December, I break my 'no overseas travel' vows with six weeks in Mexico. Whether I can update the Facebook page with great gained on the spot philosophical insights remains to be seen.
Enjoy the newsletter which (as usual) has been put together with the assistance of Jo Sampford
I am astonished as I look back over the year and reflect on the noise made by our wholly voluntary association on key international and domestic human rights issues. Hopefully, 2012 will allow our contributions to sensible debate to be even more expansive. If you wish to be take a more active part in ALHR activities, please approach your State or Territory convenor(s) and advise them of your particular areas of interest. One of the logistical difficulties of any voluntary organisation is the challenge of accessing the talent and energy of the broader membership.
As Human Rights day approaches, I am also reflecting on the importance of human rights norms in a world where hypocrisy and selfishness represent the default instincts of nations and individuals. I am impressed by the extent to which even though engaged in 'barbarous acts' are driven to deny them in human rights language. I wrote a paper for Online Opinion on the footholds gained by human rights values in our collective consciousness in the 63 short years since the UDHR was adopted by the General Assembly on 10 December 1948.
At the end of December, I break my 'no overseas travel' vows with six weeks in Mexico. Whether I can update the Facebook page with great gained on the spot philosophical insights remains to be seen.
Enjoy the newsletter which (as usual) has been put together with the assistance of Jo Sampford
Gay marriage debate comes to a head
Anyone following the news would scarcely have been able to avoid the noise on the gay marriage debate, which has reached thunderous levels in the lead up to the ALP national conference which is currently underway.
ALP Caucus shies away from Cluster Munitions treaty obligations
Reconsidering the issue of whether to close the loophole in legislation to ratify the Cluster Munitions Convention (which would allow stockpiling of cluster weapons on Australian soil), Labor Caucus last week appeared to meekly toe the Government line, supporting US military interests over the weapons ban and convention compliance.
ALHR urges Government to support Assange's right to fair trial
Wikileaks founder, Julian Assange's arrest warrant ordeal continues in the UK courts, while the Australian Government appears to prefer to ignore the matter entirely. ALHR added its name to a letter to Prime Minister Gillard urging the Government to be active in ensuring that Mr Assange's rights to fair treatment and due process are not overridden.
A new approach still needed for asylum seeker policy
It has been a big year in asylum seeker law and policy, and a big year for ALHR in this area, as the frequency of my newsletter postings indicate. While we're pleased to see that ALHR's submission to the Senate Inquiry on the Malaysia Agreement was picked up in the final Report, the need to find A New Approach to break the stalemate is as present as ever.
ALHR at the Commonwealth Peoples Forum
Tiffany Henderson represented ALHR at the Commonwealth People's Forum for NGOs, and event which runs parallel to CHOGM, and posted this report.
State News
The state branches have been very busy, hosting events and furiously writing submissions and represeting ALHR at events and forums. Below is a very small snapshot of the great work that has been happening in some of our state branches.
Presidential presentations
I have had the honour and pleasure of speaking at a number of events and conferences in the last couple of months.