The Commission proposes that when a court
has found a parliamentary intention to override
human rights contained in the Human Rights
Act, the Attorney-General should be required
to trigger a process for reviewing the law in
question. This will require the Attorney-General’s
Department to have processes in place to
monitor cases that arise under the Human
Rights Act. It will not require a formal DOI to be
issued by the court to Parliament.
Under a Human Rights Act, individuals will
continue to be able to make complaints to the
Commission but rather than such complaints
referring to international instruments, it would
be by reference to the rights enumerated in
the Human Rights Act. Consistent with federal
discrimination law, there would also be a new
pathway to bring claims before the courts
alleging a breach of these rights.
• Cause of action
(j) Cause of action, complaints
and remedies
The integration of human rights considerations
into the decision-making processes of public
authorities should make public servants more
aware of the impacts of their decisions, and
therefore help to prevent human rights breaches
in decision making and policy design.
However, sometimes better processes and
education will not be enough, and breaches of
human rights may occur. In those circumstances
a Human Rights Act should provide a cause of
action, a complaints pathway, and enforceable
remedies.
The Commission recommends that each right
should have a direct cause of action, and
an associated range of remedies. Currently,
individuals can bring human rights complaints
through the Commission’s existing Australian
Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth)
jurisdiction. This is by reference to international
instruments that are scheduled to the legislation.
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The Commission’s proposed rights are all
amenable to enforcement by complaints bodies
and courts. Unlawful actions and decisions in
relation to all rights in the Human Rights Act
should give rise to a standalone cause of action.
This would provide clarity and consistency and
enable the enforcement of rights in accordance
with Australia’s international obligations.
The Human Rights Act should also allow for
Human Rights Act rights to be raised in the
context of another legal proceeding (for
example, in a judicial review proceeding or as
part of a bail application).