This is a brief overview of the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 (Vic) (the Charter) and its relevance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and children. The paper explores how the Charter has been used to date to advance Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander interests and describes the review process currently underway.
It also importantly identifies how you can use the Charter to advance the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and children in Victoria. To achieve our human rights, for our children and ourselves, it is up to us to claim and assert them. The Charter can only be effective to the extent that we as citizens use it – so lets get out there, let people know about it and use it!
Finally the paper highlights the importance of taking action now to oppose any weakening of the Charter and a consequent weakening of human rights protection in Victoria.
