Government says no to our human rights

Today our Attorney General, Robert McClelland announced that Australia would not have a Human Rights Act. 

so... why am I UNHAPPY ROB... 

Well -  remember that thing called the 2020 summit -  the invited participants called for a Human Rights Act. Then in 2009 the Federal Government - well you and I and all our fellow Australians -  paid for a national consultation on what we thought about human rights in Australia. The outcome -  a 4 member independent panel held 65 community roundtables in 52 locations, conducted expert hearings and presented a report to the Government stating that Australia should have a Human Rights Act. 

And, if its not enough to ask Australians and get an answer from them.. there's the international and domestic learnings on human rights legislation. Australia is the only liberal democracy in the world without national human rights protection. Victoria has a human rights Charter, so does the A.C.T. The UK, NZ, Canada and so many other nations we conveniently align ourselves with on other issues all have federal human rights legislation. 

So, short article but let's recap -  Australia said give us a Human Rights Act, the independent panel said Let's have a Human Rights Act, the rest of the world we look to has a Human Rights Act -  and today the Government says we don't need one. 

Robert McClelland presented a  "human rights framework", have you seen Hollow Men - its a great Australian show that takes the piss out of Canberra, it takes the piss out of non-government organisations, it takes the piss out of the process or lack of it, it takes the piss out of crafted media statements and today McClelland gave us all the lines, the pamphlet with lame graph, lame image only it was depressing not funny and he wasn't taking the piss. 

In reality what McClelland announced today was more review, more discussion, more Committees, more brochures and no legislation, no change to the lives of Australians, and no Human Rights Act. 

It's beyond disappointing, it's flabbergasting -  how can the Government ignore so many reasons to go forward? And what is the reason? This issue is not a vote winner, its not an election loser, it was a chance to stand up for human rights, a chance to show that this government will stand by the vulnerable people of this country. Instead this Government chose to turn its back. 

What would a Human Rights Act mean.. I will have to go into that in another blog, I am too sad, too mad, too disappointed and I am not taking the piss.