(b) Who is responsible for advancing human rights in Australia? As the Australian Government signs and ratifies human rights treaties on behalf of Australia, it is the Australian Government that has responsibility for protecting and promoting human rights in Australia. This includes an obligation to ensure that all governments in Australia (federal, state and territory) respect human rights.5 However, governments are not solely responsible for advancing human rights – it is a responsibility across society. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that: • everyone has duties to the community, and • every individual and every organ of society … shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for … rights and freedoms. This means that not only the government, but also businesses, community organisations, providers of education, health, employment and other social services, police and law enforcement agencies, civil society, and individuals share the responsibility of promoting and respecting human rights. When exercising our own rights, we have a responsibility to respect the rights of others. Human rights are about creating and maintaining an environment of mutual respect and understanding, so that everyone can participate. For the Australian Government, agreeing that all people in Australia will be provided with the protections of human rights treaties creates legal commitments. Governments are obliged to respect, protect and fulfil human rights. 34 2.3 Prior momentum towards reform (a) The National Human Rights Consultation Committee Report 2009 On 10 December 2008, International Human Rights Day, the then Commonwealth Attorney‑General, the Hon Robert McClelland MP, launched the National Human Rights Consultation, in fulfilment of the Australian Labor Party’s 2007 election commitment to ‘initiate a public inquiry about how best to recognise and protect the human rights and freedoms enjoyed by all Australians’ and to ‘establish a process of consultation which will ensure that all Australians will be given the chance to have their say on this important question for our democracy’.6 The National Human Rights Consultation Committee (NHRCC), chaired by Father Frank Brennan AO SJ, was to undertake consultation and to report by 30 September 2009.7 During 2009, the NHRCC conducted a wide‑ranging nationwide consultation on human rights protections. The consultations involved 35,014 written responses and 66 community roundtables with 6,000 people, held in 52 locations around Australia.8 The NHRCC also held 3 days of public hearings in Canberra, with over 70 speakers taking part in discussions.9 The comprehensive NHRCC Report made a series of recommendations about the fulfilment of human rights in Australia. The NHRCC Report’s first recommendation was that education be the ‘highest priority’ for improving and promoting human rights in Australia towards creating a human rights culture. This included developing a national plan to implement a comprehensive framework, supported by specific programs, of education in human rights and responsibilities in schools, universities, the public sector and the community generally.10 FREE & EQUAL: Revitalising Australia’s Commitment to Human Rights