‘Commitment to tabling human rights law’

Independent Candidate for Hobart, Richard Griggs, today announced his commitment to tabling a bill to establish a Tasmanian Human Rights Act.

In 2016 Mr Griggs started the Tasmanian Human Rights Act Campaign to raise awareness of the need for law reform in the area.

Twenty organisations publicly joined the campaign and three state political parties made election commitments in 2018 to pursue the laws – Labor, Greens and Tasmanians 4 Tasmania.

“The traditional fair go which Tasmania is known for is slipping and the perfect way to address this is for Parliament to establish a Tasmanian Human Rights Act,” Mr Griggs said.

“A Tasmanian Human Rights Act would improve the quality of government decision making by requiring human rights implications to be considered at the start of any policy development process.

“Too often human rights considerations are ignored which can lead to expensive and embarrassing mistakes.

“The most compelling example of this is the failed Anti-Protest Laws which were eventually struck down by the High Court as being unconstitutional in the way they limited political communication between citizens.

“Had there been a Tasmanian Human Rights Act in place we would have seen three tangible improvements in how these laws were considered.

“Firstly, Cabinet would have been provided with a human rights assessment of the draft laws under consideration and the problems with erosion of freedom of expression would have been flagged from the start.

“Secondly, if Cabinet had still decided to proceed then the Tasmanian Parliament would have had the benefit of an agreed human rights framework through which to assess the proposed new laws.

“Thirdly, even if Parliament had still decided to pass the laws, the people of Tasmania would have had recourse to the Tasmanian Supreme Court which, by contrast, is less expensive and more accessible than the High Court in Canberra.

“The anti-protest laws are a very public example of the errors that can be made. In 2007 the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute highlighted many of the other less visible examples that would benefit from a greater emphasis on human rights in Tasmania,” Mr Griggs said.

Background on ability of Legislative Council to table bills

– it is often assumed that members of the Tasmanian Upper House cannot propose legislative reforms themselves. However this is not the case.

– Mr Ivan Dean’s 2014 bill to create a smoke free generation – the Public Health Amendment (Tobacco Free Generation) Bill 2014 – is a recent example of a Member of the Legislative Council tabling proposed legislation.

*Richard Griggs is the Independent Candidate for Legislative Council Seat of Hobart. His ideas: New Ideas + New Energy. His website is: www.richardgriggs.com.au

Authorised by Nick Griggs two hundred and ninety five Elizabeth Street North Hobart’