The Australian Capital Territory has become the first state or
territory to grant the people human rights. Of course the PM and the
church do not like the concept. Surprise surprise. Other Australians
do not formally have any of these rights.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/australia/act/200403/s1057527.htm
***
ACT passes human rights laws despite opposition
The Anglican Church is concerned the ACT's new human rights laws will
place the rights of the individual ahead of community values.
The ACT Legislative Assembly last night passed Australia's first human
rights legislation, despite opposition from the church and the Prime
Minister.
The territory legislation is based on international covenants aimed at
protecting individual, civil and political rights.
It is the first time notions such as freedom of expression and
conscience have been placed into Australian law.
The ACT Chief Minister, Jon Stanhope, says it is minimalist, concerned
with promoting awareness of human rights amongst law makers and
bureaucrats.
But the Opposition says its scope is broad and ill-defined and could
undermine the authority of the Parliament and the courts.
Anglican Bishop of the Canberra diocese George Browning says people
should be encouraged to support each other rather than concentrate on
individual freedoms.
"What the Bill of Rights stands for of course is admirable, who
wouldn't want to support individual rights, but that's not the issue,"
he said.
"The issue is if the community at large isn't robust and strong and
cooperative then it doesn't matter what rights we have, they can't be
nurtured because each individual is nurtured within a community."
***
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