Society works best when we all know what the basic rules are. A Human Rights Act would be a central document that everyone can access – a way to make sure we all know what our rights are – and what action we can take if they are not respected. At present, Australia does not adequately protect human rights. The impact of a Human Rights Act is illustrated in Figure 5. A national Human Rights Act would mean that: • the impact of laws, policy and practice on people’s human rights would always be considered • Parliament, government officials and decision makers would be held to account for how they consider the human rights impact of their actions and decisions • people in Australia would have access to a remedy when their rights have been breached unjustifiably. Figure 5: The impact of a Human Rights Act People’s rights matter, all of the time The impact of laws, policy and practice on people’s human rights should always be considered. Parliament, governments and public officials should be held to account for how they consider human rights impacts in their decision-making. This reflects: our commitment to democratic principles, and ‘Australian values’ that respect civil liberties, rights and fundamental freedoms. It means that: Laws should respect human rights. 1 Remedies should be available where human rights have not been considered or have been breached without justification. When decisions are made, the human rights impacts should be considered. 2 3 The legal framework should: • Protect human rights. • Prevent violations of human rights. • Provide effective relief for breaches of human rights. 50 FREE & EQUAL: Revitalising Australia’s Commitment to Human Rights