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Re: BRENNAN REPORT ON HUMAN RIGHTS WELCOMED	Doug Everingham
	Oct 25, 2009 23:34 PST

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Dear David,

The fact that some existing statutes are not enforced is for me not a
reason to avoid spelling out laws that SHOULD be enforceable..

Another good reason for a Human Rights Act (HRA): A powerful lobby
has met with the federal minister most concerned. They oppose a HRA:
RC, Anglican and I think Pentecostal spokesmen included – backed by
Moslem leaders. They claimed it would give courts too much power to
interpret principles. It my be relevant that the ABC's Compass
program yesterday (25 Oct 09)documented a beginning split between
liberal and fundamentalist arms of the global Anglican/Episcopal
communion. A large miority of their dioceses (led notably by African
bishops) reject modern practices of interpreting scripture
(conducting same sex marriages, ordaining women and gays etc.),

The main abstainers were the Uniting Church, the same incidentally
who twice investigated the late Humanist Rev Ted Noffs and cleared
him on charges of heresy.
They declined to oppose the notion of a HRA.

– Doug
====

On 25/10/2009, at 5:29 PM, Milton David Fisher wrote:

Dear Doug,

We already have certain human rights in law, and it doesn't make a
bit of difference.

Section 116 of the Australian Constitution states that "the
Commonwealth shall not make any law for establishing any religion,
or for imposing any religious observance, or for prohibiting the
free exercise of any religion, and no religious test shall be
required as a qualification for any office or public trust under
the Commonwealth."

The school chaplains provided by Scripture Union under the School
Chaplaincy Program are missionaries. Funding missionaries in the
schools is imposing a religious observance. Does it make sense to
have more more human rights legislation which is not observed? How
can we see that existing human rights are observed?

Reasons 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the five reasons are questionable.

2. The School Chaplaincy Program was not assessed against the
Constitution.
3. I doubt that the overwhelming number of Australians who made
submissions are aware of existing protections which are not observed.
4. We can't protect all rights in the same way. Rights conflict. To
avoid publicity which might prevent a fair trial we might have to
limit freedom of the press.
5. We can't all bear the responsibilty since only a subset of our
population has the right to enforce the laws.

M. D. Fisher

On 25/10/2009, at 4:54 PM, Doug Everingham wrote:

I agree with M D Fisher.

I visited the web site http://www.humanrightsact.com.au/ahrg
offered for more information by the media release.
Here is an extract:
==== "
5 Good Reasons to Support a Human Rights Act
A Human Rights Act will set out the fundamental rights that
Australians agree should be protected.
A Human Rights Act will improve government decision making by
requiring government to recognise and protect human rights. All
new legislation should be assessed against the yardstick of the
rights enshrined in law.
State inquiries into human rights reveal that an overwhelming
number of Australians who made submissions want legislative
protection of human rights.
Current Australian laws only protect a narrow number of rights in
a limited way. One instrument will bring all of those rights
together and protect them in the same way.
A Human Rights Act will ensure that in a strongly democratic
society we all bear the responsibility to protect the rights of
others.
For five more reasons check out Doing Justice from the Federation
of Community Legal Centres.

'====

[End of extract]

====

I opened the Doing Justice link and found:

==== "

The requested content does not exist or is no longer available on
the server.

We recommend navigating back to our home page, Publications &
Resources, our News Page, or our RSS feed to find the page you are
looking for.

If you are still encountering problems please contact us.

"====

But there were several other topics listed with web sites, including:

===="

Pages in Our Work
Casework & Litigation
Domestic Casework
International Casework
Casework by Topic
Law Reform & Policy Work
Domestic Submissions
International Submissions
Major NGO Reports
Submissions by Topic
Education & Training
HRLRC Focus Areas
Victorian Charter of Human Rights
Equality Rights
ESC Rights
People in Detention
National Human Rights Consultation
Other
====
At this stage I decided I'd wait for more specific requests for me
to participate in promoting specific Rights.
– Doug Everingham
====

From: huma-@aapt.net.au
Subject: Re: BRENNAN REPORT ON HUMAN RIGHTS WELCOMED
Date: 24 October 2009 5:49:33 PM
To: dnev-@powerup.com.au
Cc: bdo-@ozonline.com.au, hsq.pre-@gmail.com,
vbi-@attglobal.net, queensland-@gmail.com,
huma-@topica.com

The release claimed that 87% of the submissions favoured a human
rights act. I favour a human rights act. However, that is no
reason to have a human rights act. One does not enact legislation
merely because people polled favour it. One enacts legislation
because it has a worthwhile reason. The reason(s) was not stated
in the release. I think there are good reasons, but they were not
stated.

M. D. Fisher

On 24/10/2009, at 5:31 PM, Doug Everingham wrote:

Relayed by Doug Everingham
====
From: camp-@humanrightsact.com.au
Subject: BRENNAN REPORT ON HUMAN RIGHTS WELCOMED
Date: 23 October 2009 12:23:10 PM
To: dnev-@powerup.com.au
Reply-To: camp-@humanrightsact.com.au

<Human Rights report - AHRG media release.pdf>

Chair of the Human Rights Act for Australia Campaign (HRAAC) and
of the Australian Human Rights Group (AHRG), Susan Ryan AO
welcomes the report of the Brennan committee and calls on the
government to act. AHRG media release attached.

Change email address / Leave mailing list
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From: huma-@aapt.net.au
Subject: Re: BRENNAN REPORT ON HUMAN RIGHTS WELCOMED
Date: 24 October 2009 5:49:33 PM
To: dnev-@powerup.com.au
Cc: bdo-@ozonline.com.au, hsq.pre-@gmail.com,
vbi-@attglobal.net, queensland-@gmail.com,
huma-@topica.com

The release claimed that 87% of the submissions favoured a human
rights act. I favour a human rights act. However, that is no
reason to have a human rights act. One does not enact legislation
merely because people polled favour it. One enacts legislation
because it has a worthwhile reason. The reason(s) was not stated
in the release. I think there are good reasons, but they were not
stated.

M. D. Fisher

On 24/10/2009, at 5:31 PM, Doug Everingham wrote:

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<HTML><BODY style="word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space; font-size: 14px; ">Dear David, <DIV> </DIV><DIV>The fact that some existing statutes are not enforced is for me not a reason to avoid spelling out laws that SHOULD be enforceable..</DIV><DIV> </DIV><DIV>Another good reason for a Human Rights Act (HRA): A powerful lobby has met with the federal minister most concerned. They oppose a HRA: RC, Anglican and I think Pentecostal spokesmen included – backed by Moslem leaders. They claimed it would give courts too much power to interpret principles. It my be relevant that the ABC's Compass program yesterday (25 Oct 09)documented a beginning split between liberal and fundamentalist arms of the global Anglican/Episcopal communion. A large miority of their dioceses (led notably by African bishops) reject modern practices of interpreting scripture (conducting same sex marriages, ordaining women and gays etc.),</DIV><DIV> </DIV><DIV>The main abstainers were the Uniting Church, the same incidentally who twice investigated the late Humanist Rev Ted Noffs and cleared him on charges of heresy.</DIV><DIV>They declined to oppose the notion of a HRA.</DIV><DIV> </DIV><DIV> – Doug</DIV><DIV>====</DIV><DIV> <DIV><DIV>On 25/10/2009, at 5:29 PM, Milton David Fisher wrote:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"> Dear Doug, We already have certain human rights in law, and it doesn't make a bit of difference. Section 116 of the Australian Constitution states that "the Commonwealth shall not make any law for establishing any religion, or for imposing any religious observance, or for prohibiting the free exercise of any religion, and no religious test shall be required as a qualification for any office or public trust under the Commonwealth." The school chaplains provided by Scripture Union under the School Chaplaincy Program are missionaries. Funding missionaries in the schools is imposing a religious observance. Does it make sense to have more more human rights legislation which is not observed? How can we see that existing human rights are observed? Reasons 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the five reasons are questionable. 2. The School Chaplaincy Program was not assessed against the Constitution. 3. I doubt that the overwhelming number of Australians who made submissions are aware of existing protections which are not observed. 4. We can't protect all rights in the same way. Rights conflict. To avoid publicity which might prevent a fair trial we might have to limit freedom of the press. 5. We can't all bear the responsibilty since only a subset of our population has the right to enforce the laws. M. D. Fisher On 25/10/2009, at 4:54 PM, Doug Everingham wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE type="cite">I agree with M D Fisher. I visited the web site <A href="http://www.humanrightsact.com.au/ahrg">http://www.humanrightsact.com.au/ahrg</A> offered for more information by the media release. Here is an extract: ==== " 5 Good Reasons to Support a Human Rights Act A Human Rights Act will set out the fundamental rights that Australians agree should be protected. A Human Rights Act will improve government decision making by requiring government to recognise and protect human rights. All new legislation should be assessed against the yardstick of the rights enshrined in law. State inquiries into human rights reveal that an overwhelming number of Australians who made submissions want legislative protection of human rights. Current Australian laws only protect a narrow number of rights in a limited way. One instrument will bring all of those rights together and protect them in the same way. A Human Rights Act will ensure that in a strongly democratic society we all bear the responsibility to protect the rights of others. For five more reasons check out Doing Justice from the Federation of Community Legal Centres. '==== [End of extract] ==== I opened the Doing Justice link and found: ==== " The requested content does not exist or is no longer available on the server. We recommend navigating back to our home page, Publications & Resources, our News Page, or our RSS feed to find the page you are looking for. If you are still encountering problems please contact us. "==== But there were several other topics listed with web sites, including: ====" Pages in Our Work Casework & Litigation Domestic Casework International Casework Casework by Topic Law Reform & Policy Work Domestic Submissions International Submissions Major NGO Reports Submissions by Topic Education & Training HRLRC Focus Areas Victorian Charter of Human Rights Equality Rights ESC Rights People in Detention National Human Rights Consultation Other ==== At this stage I decided I'd wait for more specific requests for me to participate in promoting specific Rights. – Doug Everingham ==== From: <A href="mailto:huma-@aapt.net.au">huma-@aapt.net.au</A> Subject: Re: BRENNAN REPORT ON HUMAN RIGHTS WELCOMED Date: 24 October 2009 5:49:33 PM To: <A href="mailto:dnev-@powerup.com.au">dnev-@powerup.com.au</A> Cc: <A href="mailto:bdo-@ozonline.com.au">bdo-@ozonline.com.au</A>, <A href="mailto:hsq.pre-@gmail.com">hsq.pre-@gmail.com</A>, <A href="mailto:vbi-@attglobal.net">vbi-@attglobal.net</A>, <A href="mailto:queensland-@gmail.com">queensland-@gmail.com</A>, <A href="mailto:huma-@topica.com">huma-@topica.com</A> The release claimed that 87% of the submissions favoured a human rights act. I favour a human rights act. However, that is no reason to have a human rights act. One does not enact legislation merely because people polled favour it. One enacts legislation because it has a worthwhile reason. The reason(s) was not stated in the release. I think there are good reasons, but they were not stated. M. D. Fisher On 24/10/2009, at 5:31 PM, Doug Everingham wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE type="cite">Relayed by Doug Everingham ==== From: <A href="mailto:camp-@humanrightsact.com.au">camp-@humanrightsact.com.au</A> Subject: BRENNAN REPORT ON HUMAN RIGHTS WELCOMED Date: 23 October 2009 12:23:10 PM To: <A href="mailto:dnev-@powerup.com.au">dnev-@powerup.com.au</A> Reply-To: <A href="mailto:camp-@humanrightsact.com.au">camp-@humanrightsact.com.au</A> <Human Rights report - AHRG media release.pdf> Chair of the Human Rights Act for Australia Campaign (HRAAC) and of the Australian Human Rights Group (AHRG), Susan Ryan AO welcomes the report of the Brennan committee and calls on the government to act. AHRG media release attached. Change email address / Leave mailing list Powered by YourMailingListProvider <BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"> </BLOCKQUOTE> </BLOCKQUOTE> From: <A href="mailto:huma-@aapt.net.au">huma-@aapt.net.au</A> Subject: Re: BRENNAN REPORT ON HUMAN RIGHTS WELCOMED Date: 24 October 2009 5:49:33 PM To: <A href="mailto:dnev-@powerup.com.au">dnev-@powerup.com.au</A> Cc: <A href="mailto:bdo-@ozonline.com.au">bdo-@ozonline.com.au</A>, <A href="mailto:hsq.pre-@gmail.com">hsq.pre-@gmail.com</A>, <A href="mailto:vbi-@attglobal.net">vbi-@attglobal.net</A>, <A href="mailto:queensland-@gmail.com">queensland-@gmail.com</A>, <A href="mailto:huma-@topica.com">huma-@topica.com</A> The release claimed that 87% of the submissions favoured a human rights act. I favour a human rights act. However, that is no reason to have a human rights act. One does not enact legislation merely because people polled favour it. One enacts legislation because it has a worthwhile reason. The reason(s) was not stated in the release. I think there are good reasons, but they were not stated. M. D. Fisher On 24/10/2009, at 5:31 PM, Doug Everingham wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE type="cite">Relayed by Doug Everingham ==== From: <A href="mailto:camp-@humanrightsact.com.au">camp-@humanrightsact.com.au</A> Subject: BRENNAN REPORT ON HUMAN RIGHTS WELCOMED Date: 23 October 2009 12:23:10 PM To: <A href="mailto:dnev-@powerup.com.au">dnev-@powerup.com.au</A> Reply-To: <A href="mailto:camp-@humanrightsact.com.au">camp-@humanrightsact.com.au</A> <Human Rights report - AHRG media release.pdf> Chair of the Human Rights Act for Australia Campaign (HRAAC) and of the Australian Human Rights Group (AHRG), Susan Ryan AO welcomes the report of the Brennan committee and calls on the government to act. AHRG media release attached. Change email address / Leave mailing list Powered by YourMailingListProvider <BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"> </BLOCKQUOTE> </BLOCKQUOTE> </BLOCKQUOTE> </BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> </DIV></BODY></HTML>
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