InBrief

The Human Rights Committee is interested in being kept informed of present human rights litigation and any other significant issues raised by existing or proposed legislation, including in New South Wales. Members are invited to contact the committee, or Cindy Penrose, policy lawyer at the Bar Association, if they are working on, or are aware of, cases or legislation that raise important human rights issues. The committee is concerned not just with civil and political rights and economic and social rights, but also issues of due process in civil and criminal trials.

The Bar Association's Human Rights Committee exists to monitor legislation and prospective legislation for its impact on human rights, and to provide opinion to Bar Council, the Criminal Law Committee and the president on human rights issues. It also works collaboratively with bodies such as the Law Council of Australia on human rights issues. In 2009 it authored a detailed submission to the National Human Rights Consultation supporting the introduction by the Australian Government of a human rights charter.� In 2010, the Human Rights Committee is chaired by John Griffiths SC.

24 March 2010