Human rights in the ACT
What human rights are
Human rights are universal rights inherent to us all. Human rights are derived from international law.
They range from the most fundamental, such as the right to life, to those that make life worth living, such as the rights to education, work and liberty.
Respect for human rights is an important part of a free and democratic society which values fairness and inclusiveness.
How human rights are protected in the ACT
The Human Rights Act 2004 provides statutory protection of human rights in the ACT. Other laws in the ACT also protect human rights, including the Discrimination Act 1991.
The Attorney-General assesses proposed laws for consistency with human rights. The ACT courts and tribunal must interpret all law consistently with human rights.
Understanding human rights
The ACT Human Rights Commission has advice to help you understand and comply with the Human Rights Act 2004 and the Discrimination Act 1991.
Complaints about a breach of human rights
If you feel your human rights have been breached by an ACT Government agency, or someone providing a service on behalf of the ACT government, you can make a complaint to the ACT Human Rights Commission.
What the ACT Government does to uphold human rights
Anyone who works for or delivers a service on behalf of the ACT Government must:
- act in a way that is compatible with human rights
- give proper consideration to human rights when making decisions.
We must also make sure new laws, policies and programs comply with the Human Rights Act 2004. The laws and policies we make can restrict human rights only if it is reasonable and justifiable. For example, rights may be restricted to protect life, health and safety.
If a proposed law restricts human rights, the Government must explain how the law:
- serves a legitimate purpose
- is appropriate and adapted to meeting the purpose
- is proportionate to its impact on human rights.
We’ve developed a series of human rights factsheets to help us identify and address potential human rights issues when developing laws, policies and programs. The factsheets may also help you to understand your rights.