human rights

Yesterday I chaired a session at the 4Rs conference. The 4Rs is being held in Sydney this week and aims to shine light on the issues that Australia needs to take forward to build a more socially inclusive future.

My session was on GLBT rights and I was fortunate to  hear from speakers, Mark Orr from ACON, Professor Jenni Millbank from UTS and Labor Senator Louise Pratt from WA. They articulated a very clear to do list of the reforms still needed.

I have been watching with interest the debate around the current AusAid Family Planning Guidelines which has stepped up since Federal Labor set up a sub-committee to examine the guidelines earlier this year. 

Last year, the All Parliamentary Group on Population and Development (PGPD), of which I am a member, strongly recommended abolishing the guidelines.  

Following on from the Same Sex: Same Entitlements report into discrimination faced by same-sex couples, HREOC have released an Issues paper exploring the human rights issues faced by people who are transgender, transsexual or intersex.

The Issues paper is a short analysis of some sex and gender diversity issues and their human rights implications.

The Attorney General, John Hatzistergos today announced that the Labor Government will introduce laws that give parental recognition to lesbians who have kids together. The government will also move on an additional 50 laws to extend equal rights to same sex defacto couples.

This is important reform that gives children of lesbian parents equal rights in workers compensation and victim compensation payments, inheritance rights, recognition of both parents by schools and health authorities.

26th April 2008 (Saturday) Time : 1pm

Venue : BELMORE PARK, Hay Street, Haymarket,SYDNEY 2000

Last night I attended a meeting of the Australian Coalition for Democracy in Burma. The meeting discussed the unconstitutional referendum in Burma scheduled for May 10. The ACDB encourages all who care about human rights in Burma to come to a rally on 26 April.

On 26 April 2008, The International  Burmese Monks Organisation (Australia) calls  for  a Global  Day  of  condemnation  of  undemocratic  and  unconstitutional Referendum announced for May 2008. We would like to invite you to join us for a Peace Walk & Prayer Service.

With these wise words from Daniel Swaine I attended the opening session of the NSW Anti Homophobia Interagency Conference - That's So Gay. Daniel spoke eloquently of the experience of students in our schools and the need for our school systems to tackle hompohobia head on to provide safety and recognition of identity for same sex attracted young people.

The conference also heard from Azlan Currie. Azlan is a primary school student from northern NSW who happens to have two mums. She gave a very funny insight into her life and how she explains the ordinary to those who consider her life extraordinary.

As hundreds of thousands of protestors took to the streets in Burma this week, the mainstream media and international attention is once again focussed on the human rights abuses happening under the military regime in Burma. This has included a brutal crackdown on monks and other protesters. There have been beatings and at least nine people have been killed by soldiers - including a japanese journalist.

The Australian Coalition for Democracy in Burma (ACDB) has been active in recent weeks drawing attention to what is happening on the streets in Burma. This culminated with a very successful protest held yesterday. The next protest will be held on Thursday 4 October at 12.30 at Martin Place. If you want to keep up to date and get involved in supporting the return to democracy in Burma join the ACDB facebook group.

Today I attended a talk by Pat Dodson and Jack Waterford on the federal government's "intervention" in the NT. Held in Parliament House by the Centre of an Ethical Society, Pat Dodson yet again reminded the audience in a powerful way that non indigenous Australia was yet to have the conversation with Aborignal people about the terms of of our settlement here. Jack Waterford tried to find some positives of what is happening in the NT and was really only able to come up with better atttention on schools and a Minister who thinks he is doing the right thing.

Today I hosted a group of Burmese at Parliament House after a rally held in Hyde Park. I was honoured to meet U Maung Maung Aye who was elected as a Member of Parliament in Burma for the National League for Democracy. - he has never been able to take his place in the parliament.

17 years ago today the last free elections in Burma were held. The people of Burma supported the National League for Democracy who were elected to 80% of the seats. 17 years ago Daw Aung San Suu Kyi should have become the the duly elected Prime Minister of Burma, instead the ruling military regime placed her under house arrest.