2020-02-11 Services and Organisation Committee Agenda

SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA   11 FEBRUARY 2020




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SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                              11 FEBRUARY 2020

           COUNCIL POLICY - HUMAN RIGHTS

           What are “human rights”?
           Human rights apply to all individuals and are based on principles of freedom, respect, equality and
           dignity. Human rights recognise the inherent value of each person, regardless of background, where
           we live, what we look like, what we think or what we believe. In other words, human rights belong to
           all people by virtue of being human. Everyone is entitled to these rights, without discrimination.‘
           Commencement of the Act

           The Act commenced on 1 July 2019. The Act requires public entities, including local government, to
           make decisions and act compatibly with human rights. Obligations for public entities under the Act
           commenced in full on 1 January 2020.
           Objectives of the Act
           The main objects of this Act are:
               a) to protect and promote human rights;
               b) to help build a culture in Queensland’s public sector that respects and promotes human
                   rights; and
               c) to help promote a dialogue about the nature, meaning and scope of human rights.®
           The Act is an important development in recognising the essential role human rights play in our
           society because it will:
                e   protect the rights of vulnerable Queenslanders by addressing disadvantage;
                e   result in development of a human rights culture across communities in Queensland;
                e   lead to improved law making and government policy;
                e   result in improved public service delivery; and,
                e   assist Australia to fulfil its international human rights obligations.’
           Protected human rights
           Under section 11 of the Act, all individuals in Queensland have human rights. This means a
           corporation does not have human rights.? As such, the Act protects 23 fundamental human rights
           outlined below.

               1.  Your right to recognition and equality before the law
           Everyone is entitled to equal and effective protection against discrimination, and to enjoy their human
           rights without discrimination.
               2.  Your right to life
           Every person has the right to life and to not have their life taken. The right to life includes a duty on
           government to take appropriate steps to protect the right to life.
               3.  Your right to protection from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
           People must not be tortured nor treated or punished in a cruel, inhuman or degrading way. This
           includes protection from treatment that humiliates a person.

           5 United Nations, Human Rights, available at: [https www _un.org/en/sections/issues-depth/human-nanhts/]
           ® Human Rights Act 2019 (QLD) s 3.
           7 Queensland Human Rights Commission.
           ® Human Rights Act 2019 (QLD) s 11(2).

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