PRINCIPLES
1. Human rights are fundamental, universal, indivisible and interdependent, and must be respected, protected and promoted.
2. Cultural, religious, gender and other differences often give rise to specific needs and circumstances that must be taken into account in order to ensure equal rights for all.
3. Greater equality is both a cause and effect of ensuring human rights are respected.
4. The Victorian Government respecting, protecting and promoting human rights in all of its legislative, administrative and other functions.
5. A Victorian society that protects and values the rights of all people, with particular protections for the most vulnerable.
AIMS
1. Supporting and strengthening the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities, and its extension to include economic, social and cultural rights and full compliance to all international human rights law covenants and conventions to which Australia is a signatory
2. Ensuring that any decisions affecting human rights in Victoria are necessary, reasonable, proportionate, and consistent with international human rights law and imposed in a transparent and accountable manner.
3. The publication of a statement of compatibility for Bills and subordinate legislation to allow for public comment. Bills should not be debated before the Scrutiny of Acts and Regulations Committee report is tabled in parliament.
4. Regular auditing of public authorities to assess compliance with human rights, and provisions to allow individuals to seek compensation or damages against a public authority for a breach of human rights under the Victorian Charter.
5. The role of the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission expanded to encompass the full range of Victoria’s international human rights obligations, as well as having the power to determine complaints and conduct its own inquiries into human rights issues in Victoria.
6. Human rights education being included in the Victorian school curriculum.
7. Eliminate discrimination against persons or groups of persons on the basis of: age; breast/chest feeding; disability; gender identity; industrial or trade union activity; lawful sexual activity; pregnancy; parental or carer status; physical features; race; relationship status; religious or political belief or activity; sex; sex characteristics; sexual orientation; personal association with a person who is identified by reference to any of the above attributes; or other grounds corresponding to historical and ongoing systemic oppression.
8. Non-government entities, including individuals and corporations, should respect human rights and be held accountable for human rights violations.
9. Raising community awareness of services available to assist individuals subject to exploitation or abuse, and increasing resourcing to ensure the improvement of the range and quality of such services.
10. A coordinated effort by national, state and local authorities to prevent the trafficking of people, prosecute the traffickers and protect the victims.
11. The protection of the right to democratic protest and the elimination of laws which restrict this right.
12. Expansion of the Equal Opportunity Act to cover all aspects of public life and the removal of religious exemptions.
13. Anti-vilification provisions to cover the attributes of race and religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex characteristics, disability and HIV status
Human Rights Policy as amended by State Council on 16th July 2022