Complainants and victims of crime are entitled to be part of a society that respects and protects their human rights. As we have previously submitted, Liberty Victoria strongly supports the view that complainants and victims of crime should be treated with courtesy, respect and dignity throughout the criminal justice process. We support the governing principles set out in the Victims’ Charter Act 2006 (Vic) in relation to the treatment of persons adversely affected by crime.
Submitted by Liberty Victoria on Wed, 22/09/2021 - 09:00
Liberty Victoria’s position on COVID-19 vaccines generally
COVID-19 has seen unprecedented restrictions on the human rights of Victorians. Where limitations on human rights are a proportionate response to risks to public health, Liberty Victoria has supported those measures. In circumstances where we consider restrictions are not proportionate, we have opposed them.
At the outset broadly and generally speaking, the Bill introduces powers for State-authorised hacking (also known as: lawful hacking, government hacking, computer network operations, network exploitative techniques). It is our position that Australia does not have an adequate federal human rights framework. Therefore, should the Bill come into force, Australians do not have sufficient safeguards of their fundamental rights to protect them from abuse of power by authorities.
Liberty Victoria is concerned that businesses sourcing labour from the on-demand workforce may be doing so in order to obfuscate the reality of their relationships with workers, and to exploit the uncertainty the current common law test creates
Liberty Victoria is concerned that the Australian Government is failing to uphold its international and domestic human rights obligations in relation to the on-demand workforce. Many protections enshrined in the FW Act do not extend to on-demand workers who are not characterised as employees under the common law test.
Submitted by Liberty Victoria on Thu, 26/08/2021 - 09:05
On the 26 August 2001, the Norwegian vessel the MV Tampa rescued 433 people seeking asylum who were stranded at sea. Most of those rescued were Hazaras fleeing from the Taliban in Afghanistan.
What followed was a defining moment for our national character. Australian SAS forces boarded the Tampa and most of those onboard were subsequently detained on Nauru. The incident became a pivotal episode in the 2001 Federal Election.
Two decades later we continue to see the politicisation, and criminalisation, of refugees and people seeking asylum.
Read Liberty Victoria's submission to the Mental Health and Wellbeing Act Engagement Paper.
The provision of quality mental health treatment has the capacity to positively impact
upon people experiencing mental illness. However, there are circumstances in which
the provision of such treatment — and the provision of compulsory treatment in
particular — has the capacity to significantly curtail the rights and freedoms of
consumers. Accordingly, it is vital that promoting and protecting human rights should
We accept that extremist movements and actors pose a significant threat to the Australian Community. However, over the past two decades there has been a focus on the danger of Islamist extremism at the expense of proper attention being given to the resurgence of farright extremism. As demonstrated by the Christchurch massacre, the danger of far-right extremism is all too real, can be fostered by Australian far-right movements, and can result in tragedy close to home.
Submitted by Liberty Victoria on Tue, 13/07/2021 - 11:08
Liberty Victoria is delighted to announce that Mohamed Semra is the 2021 Liberty Victoria Young Voltaire Human Rights Award recipient.
The Young Voltaire Human Rights Award honours a person or group no older than 30 at the date of their nomination for an outstanding contribution to or action on free speech, human rights or civil liberties, with particular emphasis on progressing freedom, respect, equality and dignity. It celebrates those who speak out, write, campaign, whistle-blow, take action or stand against authoritarianism.
Submitted by Liberty Victoria on Thu, 08/07/2021 - 09:28
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, legal, human rights and civil liberties organisations have called on the Andrews government to take urgent steps to increase transparency and prevent mistreatment behind bars after a new report has highlighted serious deficiencies in disciplinary processes in Victorian prisons.
Submitted by Liberty Victoria on Tue, 06/07/2021 - 10:25
In 2021, Liberty Victoria is awarding the Voltaire Empty Chair Award to all refugees and asylum seekers in on and off-shore detention.
Established in 2016, this award is presented to a person who is worthy to receive the Voltaire or Young Voltaire Human Rights Awards, but cannot be present to receive the award due to the consequences of their exercise of or advocacy for human rights, free speech or civil liberties. Previous recipients have been Iranian cartoonist Ali Dorani aka 'Eaten Fish', Behrouz Boochani and Bernard Collaery.
