In this lecture, Hilary Charlesworth considers debates over human rights in Australia. Are human rights adequately protected here? What are the best ways of improving the protection of human rights? Is judicial oversight of human rights anti-democratic? What type of rights are worth protecting?
HILARY CHARLESWORTH (INTERSTATE) HILARY CHARLESWORTH is an ARC Federation fellow, director of the ANU Centre for International Governance and Justice in the Regulatory Institutions Network at the Australian National University, and professor of International Law and Human Rights in the ANU College of Law. She chaired the ACT Bill of Rights Consultative Committee in 2002-2003, which was instrumental in the development of the ACT Human Rights Act 2004. Her latest book is Bills of Rights in Australia: History, Politics and Law, co-authored with Andrew Byrnes and Gabrielle McKinnon.
BRET WALKER SC (LOCAL) BRET WALKER SC has practised as a barrister mainly in Sydney since 1979. His principal areas of advocacy and advice are public (Constitutional and administrative) law and commercial law. Appointed Senior Counsel in 1993.
He is a Director of the Board of Sydney Writers’ Festival.