1998-1999-2000-2001

 

The Parliament of the

Commonwealth of Australia

 

THE SENATE

 

 

 

 

Presented and read a first time

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Parliamentary Charter of Rights and Freedoms Bill 2001

 

No.      , 2001

 

(Senator Lees)

 

 

 

A Bill for an Act relating to the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Australians and all people in Australia, and for related purposes

   

   

   

Contents

Part 1—Preliminary                                                                                                              1

1............ Short title............................................................................................. 1

2............ Commencement................................................................................... 2

3............ Objects................................................................................................ 2

4............ Interpretation....................................................................................... 2

5............ Interpretation of Charter...................................................................... 5

6............ Extent to which Act binds the Crown................................................. 6

7............ Extension to external Territories.......................................................... 6

8............ Application of Charter......................................................................... 6

9............ Interpretation of legislation.................................................................. 7

10.......... No rights of action or criminal liability under Charter......................... 7

11.......... Powers of courts in criminal proceedings........................................... 7

Part 2—Parliamentary Charter of Rights and Freedoms                             9

12.......... Parliamentary Charter of Rights and Freedoms................................... 9

Part 3—Functions of Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission           10

13.......... Functions of Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission.... 10

14.......... Performance of functions of Commission in relation to Charter....... 11

15.......... Reporting to Parliament..................................................................... 11

Part 4—Miscellaneous                                                                                                        13

16.......... Regulations....................................................................................... 13

Schedule 1—Parliamentary Charter of Rights and Freedoms           14

Division 1—General                                                                                                     14

Article 1             

Entitlement to rights and freedoms without discrimination............................... 14

Article 2             

Effect of Charter on existing rights and freedoms............................................ 14

Article 3             

Permissible limitations..................................................................................... 14

Division 2—Non-discrimination                                                                             15

Article 4             

Equal protection of the law............................................................................... 15

Article 5             

Rights of minority groups................................................................................ 15

Division 3—Fundamental political rights                                                         15

Article 6             

Right of participation in public life................................................................... 15

Article 7             

Freedom of expression..................................................................................... 16

Article 8             

Freedom of thought and conscience................................................................. 16

Article 9             

Freedom of religion or belief............................................................................ 16

Article 10           

Right of peaceful assembly.............................................................................. 16

Article 11           

Freedom of association.................................................................................... 17

Division 4—Privacy and family rights                                                               17

Article 12           

Right to protection from arbitrary interference................................................. 17

Article 13           

Right to marry and to found a family............................................................... 18

Article 14           

Rights of the child............................................................................................ 18

Division 5—Freedom of movement                                                                     18

Article 15           

Rights of persons in Australia.......................................................................... 18

Article 16           

Right to enter Australia.................................................................................... 19

Article 17           

Right to leave Australia.................................................................................... 19

Division 6—Life, liberty and criminal process                                              19

Article 18           

Right to life...................................................................................................... 19

Article 19           

Liberty and security of person.......................................................................... 19

Article 20           

Slavery and forced labour................................................................................ 20

Article 21           

Right to be informed of reasons for arrest or detention and of charges............ 20

Article 22           

Right to remain silent and to have access to lawyer.......................................... 20

Article 23           

Hearings, release and trial................................................................................ 20

Article 24           

Right to test lawfulness of detention................................................................ 21

Article 25           

Presumption of innocence................................................................................ 21

Article 26           

Right to fair hearing......................................................................................... 21

Article 27           

Rights of the accused relating to trial................................................................ 21

Article 28           

No retrospective criminal offences or penalties................................................ 22

Article 29           

Right of review of conviction and sentence...................................................... 22

Article 30           

No trial or punishment for same offence.......................................................... 22

Article 31           

Rights when deprived of liberty....................................................................... 22

Article 32           

No torture or inhuman treatment and no experimentation without consent....... 23

A Bill for an Act relating to the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Australians and all people in Australia, and for related purposes

The Parliament of Australia enacts:

Schedule 1 — Parliamentary Charter of Rights and Freedoms