1. Introduction: Towards a revitalised Human Rights Framework for Australia The scope of this proposed National Human Rights Framework is extensive. It will require dedicated focus over a sustained period in order to effectively implement each of the thematic areas. For this reason, the Commission also recommends that the Framework be put into place over a 10 year period. Some of the proposed reforms will take multiple years to achieve. For example: • The Commission has proposed that its reform agenda for federal discrimination law be staged to address priority issues in the first year, and then more transformational change to the federal discrimination law model after that. Only once these 2 stages are undertaken can consideration be given to issues such as harmonisation of discrimination laws with the states and territories. • The development of a Human Rights Act is likely to take 12–18 months, with the Commission recommending that an Exposure Draft Bill be developed based on the Commission’s model for a Human Rights Act. Once legislated, there should be a 12 month period for preparation and education before the Act’s remedial pathways take effect. It should then be reviewed after 5 years of operation. • Developing a set of national human rights indicators will also require intensive consultation and coordination with other national data reporting systems and frameworks. As these reform processes are complex, the Commission recommends that the 10 year timeframe is broken into two 5–year implementation plans. These plans should be appropriately resourced and they should be developed with community input – particularly the participation of groups who are marginalised and whose human rights the framework is seeking to address. To ensure that the Framework is operating effectively, it should have accountability measures – by publishing targets (with the outputs and outcomes to be achieved, timeframes, identification of the responsible agent to deliver). A monitoring, evaluation and learning framework should also be included with public reporting at regular intervals (for example, 5 and 10 years). The Commission also considers that the National Human Rights Framework should sit alongside other existing national frameworks, and should not seek to replicate or replace them. We discuss this further in the chapter on human rights indicators and accountability measures. To this end, the Commission also recommends that the framework should identify how it interacts with other national frameworks, agreements and plans. FREE & EQUAL: Revitalising Australia’s Commitment to Human Rights 25