Visit the Anti-Discrimination Commission Queensland Website to learn more about their new Human Rights Act
Queensland Human Rights Act
On 27 February 2019 the Queensland Parliament passed the Human Rights Bill.
The Human Rights Act 2019 will protect 23 rights, including the right to privacy, access to education and health services, cultural rights, and more, and is expected to commence on 1 January 2020.
The Anti-Discrimination Commission Queensland will be renamed the Queensland Human Rights Commission, and continue its complaints handling, education, and training functions under the Anti-Discrimination Act . The Commission will also work to resolve human rights complaints, as well as provide information, education, and training on the Human Rights Act .
About the Act
The Act protects 23 rights which are:
recognition and equality before the law
right to life
protection from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
freedom from forced work
freedom of movement
freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief
freedom of expression
peaceful assembly and freedom of association
taking part in public life
property rights
privacy and reputation
protection of families and children
cultural rights – generally
cultural rights – Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples
right to liberty and security of person
humane treatment when deprived of liberty
fair hearing
rights in criminal proceedings
children in the criminal process
right not to be tried or punished more than once
retrospective criminal laws
right to education
right to health services.
The Act will require public entities — government departments, local councils, or other organisations providing functions of a public nature — to make decisions and act compatibly with human rights, and parliament to consider human rights when passing new legislation or amending current laws.
The Queensland Human Rights Commission will provide a dispute resolution process for handling human rights complaints.
The obligations and dispute resolution functions are expected to start from 1 January 2020.
You can read the Human Rights Bill on the Queensland Parliament website , along with the:
Explanatory Notes which explain the objectives of the Bill in more detail; and
Introductory speech given by the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice.
What happens now?
The Act will go to the Governor to sign (the royal assent) and in due course a proclamation will state when the Act commences.
lt is expected to start in two stages. The first stage is expected to be on 1 July 2019, when the name of the Commission will change to the Queensland Human Rights Commission, and we will start providing information services. The second stage is expected to be on 1 January 2020 when all other obligations will commence.
from: https://www.adcq.qld.gov.au/human-rights/queensland-human-rights-act