2014 Annual Sir Frank Kitto Lecture

You are warmly invited to attend the Sir Frank Kitto Lecture

presented by

Professor Gillian Triggs

President of the Australian Human Rights Commission

'Australian exceptionalism: Human rights and executive power'

Australia is unique among comparable legal systems in that it has very few constitutional or legislative protections for most human rights. This fragmented approach to human rights has produced a significant gap in legal protections placing some groups at risk.

Of particular concern is the increasing use of executive discretion that is often not subject to judicial scrutiny. The abuse of executive powers arises in many contexts including: the introduction of new anti-terrorism laws, the administrative detention of those unfit to plead to criminal charges on the grounds of mental illness, the asylum seekers held under mandatory detention or judged by ASIO as a security risk, and the so called 'Bikie' laws.In light of this growing encroachment on fundamental rights and freedoms it is now time to reopen the public debate about a legislated form of human rights charter.

Hosted by the School of Law, UNE

Wednesday, 15 October 2014 at 4.30pm

JP Belshaw Lecture Theatre (LT1), Economics, Business and Law Building

University of New England