Australian Human Rights Commission
Information for LOIPR - Australia, 27 June 2016
29.
Australia lacks a coherent national system of death reviews to consider crossjurisdictional issues and ensure accurate monitoring to address systemic
issues from deaths associated with domestic violence. The Commission is
conducting an inquiry into Enhancing domestic and family violence death
review processes.
30.
The Commission notes that the Australian and New Zealand Child Death
Review and Prevention Group (ANZCDR&PG) has continued its valuable
work to establish a national child death and injury data base as per the
recommendation of the National Children’s Commissioner in her 2014
Children’s Rights Report.28
31.
Issues for consideration in the LOIPR:
6.
•
Information on the monitoring of the implementation of Coronial
Inquest findings, to address systemic failures to protect women
from domestic violence.
•
Information on the progress to establish a national child death
and injury data base.
Trafficking in persons
Concluding Observations, para 10
Relevant provisions of the CAT: Articles 2, 12, 13, 14 and 16
32.
The Commission commends Australia for developing a National Action Plan
to Combat Human Trafficking and Slavery 2015-2019, which adopts a human
rights-based approach, includes measures to standardise data collection on
human trafficking and slavery, and includes measures to raise community
awareness among vulnerable groups.29 The Commission notes that adequate
funding is needed for the full implementation of the National Action Plan.
33.
The Commission also notes a strengthening of criminal offences against
forced marriage. In 2015, legislation was enacted that increases the
protection of children from forced marriage along with other persons who do
not have the capacity to provide free and full consent to marriage.30
34.
The Commission notes that the Australian Government is undertaking a
national consultation on the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on
Business and Human Rights.31 The Commission considers that the
subsequent National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights should have
clear links with the National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking and
Slavery 2015-2019.
35.
The Commission further notes the recent inquiry and report of the House of
Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs into
the regulatory and legislative aspects of international and domestic surrogacy
arrangements Surrogacy Matters.32 The Commission submission considered
that unregulated surrogacy arrangements raise real concerns about the
potential for the trafficking of women and children.33
7