And it will mean, say the environmentalists, handing all that potential power over to the States. There are many ways to hurt a child. Or, beating the child about the head until it dies. Dozens of babies die this way each year. The authorities are overwhelmed.
Human rights are universal.
Human rights are not merely theoretical, idealistic or narrow entitlements. The legal system is only one relatively imperfect mechanism for protecting human rights. People and governments must believe in achieving universal respect for human rights. Otherwise, if society fails to address fundamental social inequalities, the worthy aims and principles of anti-discrimination laws and disability services legislation will remain merely words. In this lecture, Justice Einfeld talks about these issues in relation to racism, people with disabilities, and people with mental illness.