Source: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2017B00161
Timestamp: 2020-05-29 12:13:04
Document Index: 373359063

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 2', 'art 3', 'art 5', 'art 2', 'art 3', 'art 5', 'art 3']

Details: C2017B00161
- C2017B00161
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
Introduced HR 14 Aug 2017
C2017B00161
5 Interpretation of Bill of Rights
7 Extent to which Act binds the Crown
8 Act not to apply so as to exceed Commonwealth power
9 Acquisition of property
Part 2—Operation of Bill of Rights
Part 3—Functions of the Australian Human Rights Commission
Part 5—Declaration of Rights
5............ Interpretation of Bill of Rights.......................................................... 10
6............ Extension to external Territories........................................................ 10
7............ Extent to which Act binds the Crown............................................... 10
8............ Act not to apply so as to exceed Commonwealth power................... 11
9............ Acquisition of property..................................................................... 12
Part 2—Operation of Bill of Rights 13
10.......... Application of Bill of Rights............................................................. 13
11.......... Interpretation of legislation................................................................ 13
12.......... No civil or criminal liability under Bill of Rights.............................. 14
Part 3—Functions of the Australian Human Rights Commission 15
13.......... Additional powers and functions of Commission............................. 15
14.......... Performance of Commission in relation to Bill of Rights.................. 16
15.......... Complaints and redress for infringement of rights or freedoms........ 16
16.......... Reporting to Parliament..................................................................... 17
17.......... Jurisdiction of Federal Court and Federal Circuit Court.................... 19
18.......... Regulations....................................................................................... 19
Part 5—Declaration of Rights 20
19.......... Australian Bill of Rights................................................................... 20
This Act is the Australian Bill of Rights Act 2017.
(a) to promote universal respect for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all persons without discrimination; and
(b) to that end, to enact an Australian Bill of Rights giving effect to certain provisions of:
(i) the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights done at New York on 16 December 1966; and
(ii) the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights done at New York on 16 December 1966; and
(iii) the Convention on the Rights of the Child done at New York on 20 November 1989;
being guided by:
(iv) the Declaration on the Rights of Mentally Retarded Persons; and
(v) the Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons; and
(vi) the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination based on Religion or Belief; and
(c) to ensure that any person whose rights or freedoms as set out in the Australian Bill of Rights are infringed by or under any law in relation to which that Bill of Rights operates has an effective remedy; and
(d) to promote, enhance and secure, as paramount objectives, the freedom and dignity of the human person, equality of opportunity for all persons and full and free participation by all Australians in public affairs and public debate.
Note 1: The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights is in Australian Treaty Series 1980 No. 23 ([1980] ATS 23) and could in 2017 be viewed in the Australian Treaties Library on the AustLII website (http://www.austlii.edu.au).
Note 2: The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights is in Australian Treaty Series 1976 No. 5 ([1976] ATS 5) and could in 2017 be viewed in the Australian Treaties Library on the AustLII website (http://www.austlii.edu.au).
Note 3: The Convention on the Rights of the Child is in Australian Treaty Series 1991 No. 4 ([1991] ATS 4) and could in 2017 be viewed in the Australian Treaties Library on the AustLII website (http://www.austlii.edu.au).
(a) by or on behalf of the Commonwealth, a State or a Territory; or
(b) by or on behalf of an authority of the Commonwealth, of a State or of a Territory;
being an act done:
(c) in relation to an Australian citizen—within or outside Australia; or
(d) in any other case—within Australia.
Australian Capital Territory enactment means an enactment of the Australian Capital Territory, within the meaning of the Australian Capital Territory (Self‑Government) Act 1988, or an instrument made under such an enactment.
(a) in relation to the Commonwealth:
(i) a body (whether incorporated or unincorporated) established for a purpose of the Commonwealth by or under a Commonwealth enactment; or
(ii) an incorporated company over which the Commonwealth is in a position to exercise control; or
(iii) a person holding or performing the duties of an office or appointment established or made under a Commonwealth enactment or by the Governor‑General or a Minister of State of the Commonwealth (not being an office or appointment referred to in subparagraph (c) (iii)); or
(iv) a body, or a person holding or performing the duties of an office or appointment, that is declared by the regulations to be an authority of the Commonwealth for the purposes of this Act; or
(b) in relation to a State:
(i) a body (whether incorporated or unincorporated) established for a purpose of the State by or under an enactment of the State; or
(ii) an incorporated company over which the State is in a position to exercise control; or
(iii) a person holding or performing the duties of an office or appointment established or made under an enactment, or by the Governor or a Minister, of the State; or
(iv) a local government body in the State; or
(v) a body, or a person holding or performing the duties of an office or appointment, that is declared by the regulations to be an authority of the State for the purposes of this Act; or
(c) in relation to a Territory:
(i) a body (whether incorporated or unincorporated) established for a purpose of the Territory by or under a Commonwealth enactment or an enactment of the Territory; or
(ii) an incorporated company over which the Administration of the Territory is in a position to exercise control; or
(iii) a person holding or performing the duties of an office or appointment established or made under an enactment of the Territory or by the Administrator of a Territory; or
(iv) a body, or a person holding or performing the duties of an office or appointment, that is declared by the regulations to be an authority of the Territory for the purposes of this Act.
Bill of Rights means the Australian Bill of Rights set out in section 19.
Commission means the Australian Human Rights Commission established by the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986.
Commonwealth enactment means an Act or an instrument (other than a Territory enactment) made under an Act, and includes any other legislation or rule of the common law applied (otherwise than by virtue of the Commonwealth Places (Application of Laws) Act 1970) as a law of the Commonwealth, to the extent that it operates as such a law.
enactment means a Commonwealth enactment, a State enactment or a Territory enactment.
infringe includes abrogate and abridge.
instrument includes a rule, regulation or by‑law.
law means a law of the Commonwealth, a law of a Territory or a law of a State.
law of a State means any law in force in a State, including a rule of the common law but not including a law of the Commonwealth.
law of a Territory means any law in force in a Territory, including a rule of the common law but not including a law of the Commonwealth.
law of the Commonwealth means:
(a) a Commonwealth enactment; or
(b) any other law (other than a rule of the common law) in force throughout Australia; or
(c) any rule of the common law as it has effect in relation to or for the purposes of the operation of a Commonwealth enactment or a law referred to in paragraph (b).
(a) in relation to a State—a Minister of the Crown of the State; or
(b) in relation to the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory—a Minister of that Territory.
Northern Territory enactment means an enactment of the Northern Territory within the meaning of the Northern Territory (Self‑Government) Act 1978 or an instrument made under such an enactment.
Parliament, in relation to the Australian Capital Territory, means the Legislative Assembly of the Australian Capital Territory, and in relation to the Northern Territory, means the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory.
person includes an individual or group of persons, depending on the context.
practice means a practice engaged in:
being a practice engaged in:
proposed enactment means:
(a) a proposed law introduced into the Parliament of the Commonwealth or the legislature of a Territory; or
(b) a proposed law prepared on behalf of:
(i) the Government of the Commonwealth or the Administration of a Territory; or
(iii) a body established by law that has the function of recommending proposed laws of the Commonwealth or of a Territory; or
(c) a proposed State enactment; or
(d) an instrument proposed to be made under a Commonwealth enactment or under a Territory enactment.
proposed State enactment means:
(a) a proposed law introduced into the Parliament of a State; or
(i) the Government of a State; or
(ii) a Minister of the State; or
(iii) a body established by law that has the function of recommending proposed laws of a State; or
(c) an instrument proposed to be made under a State enactment.
(a) in relation to a Commonwealth enactment, a Territory enactment or a proposed enactment (other than a proposed State enactment)—the Minister of State of the Commonwealth responsible for the administration of the matter to which the enactment or proposed enactment relates; or
(b) in relation to a State enactment or a proposed State enactment—the Minister of the State responsible for the administration of the matter to which the enactment or proposed enactment relates; or
(c) in relation to an act done or practice engaged in by or on behalf of the Commonwealth or a Territory or by or on behalf of an authority of the Commonwealth or of a Territory—the Minister of State of the Commonwealth responsible for the administration of the matter in connection with which the act was done or the practice was engaged in; or
(d) in relation to an act done or practice engaged in by or on behalf of a State or by or on behalf of an authority of a State—the Minister of the State responsible for the administration of the matter in connection with which the act was done or the practice was engaged in.
State enactment means a State Act or an instrument made under a State Act and includes an Australian Capital Territory enactment and a Northern Territory enactment.
suit includes any action or original proceeding between parties.
Territory Act means an Act passed by a legislature of a Territory and duly assented to.
Territory enactment means:
(a) a Territory Act; or
(b) an Ordinance of a Territory; or
(c) an instrument made under such an Act or Ordinance; or
(d) any other legislation or rule of the common law applied as a law of a Territory, to the extent that it operates as such a law; or
(e) an instrument made under legislation referred to in paragraph (d).
(2) In this Act, a reference to the Governor of a State, in relation to the Northern Territory, means a reference to the Administrator of the Northern Territory.
(a) a reference to, or to the doing of, an act includes a reference to a refusal or failure to do an act; and
(b) a reference, in relation to the doing of an act or the engaging in of a practice, to the person who did the act or engaged in the practice will, in the case of an act done or practice engaged in by an unincorporated body of persons, be read as a reference to that body.
(4) Subject to subsection (5), a law will, for the purposes of this Act, be taken to be inconsistent with the Bill of Rights if it:
(a) infringes, or authorises the infringement of, a right or freedom set out in the Bill of Rights; or
(b) makes, or authorises the making of, a provision that according to the Bill of Rights, is not to be made by any law.
(5) Where a law:
(a) promotes, enhances or secures a right or freedom set out in the Bill of Rights, but infringes, or authorises the infringement of, another right or freedom set out in the Bill of Rights; or
(b) promotes, enhances or secures for a person a right or freedom set out in the Bill of Rights, but, in relation to another person, infringes, or authorises the infringement of, a right or freedom set out in the Bill of Rights;
it is the intention of the Parliament that the law will not be determined to be inconsistent with the Bill of Rights unless such a determination would further the objects of this Act, and in particular the paramount objectives referred to in paragraph 3(d), to a greater extent than a determination that the law is not inconsistent with the Bill of Rights.
(6) A reference in this Act to a right or freedom set out in the Bill of Rights is a reference to such a right or freedom limited only as permitted by Article 3 of the Bill of Rights.
(7) A reference in this Act to the date on which an enactment other than this Act came into force will, in the case of an enactment different provisions of which came into force on different dates, be read as a reference to the date on which the provision concerned came into force.
(8) For the purposes of this Act, an Act will be taken to have been enacted at the time when it receives the Royal Assent.
(9) A reference in this Act to prejudice to the security, defence or international relations of Australia includes a reference to any such prejudice that might result from the divulging of information or matters communicated in confidence by or on behalf of the government of a foreign country, an authority of a government of a foreign country or an international organisation to the Government of the Commonwealth, to an authority of the Commonwealth or to a person receiving the communication on behalf of the Commonwealth or of an authority of the Commonwealth.
(1) For the purposes of the interpretation of the Bill of Rights, each Article of the Bill of Rights is taken to be a section of this Act.
(2) Except as expressly provided in this Act, the Bill of Rights may not be interpreted so as to limit or adversely affect the rights of any person.
(3) The Bill of Rights may not be interpreted so as to adversely affect the rights particular to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
The Act extends to every external Territory.
(3) Subsection (2) does not limit the cases where a contrary intention may be taken to appear for the purposes of subsection (1).
This Act, or any instrument made under this Act, does not apply to the extent (if any) that the operation of this Act or the instrument would result in an acquisition of property (within the meaning of paragraph 51(xxxi) of the Constitution) from a person otherwise than on just terms (within the meaning of that paragraph).
10 Application of Bill of Rights
(1) Subject to subsection (2), any law, whether passed or made before, on or after the commencing day of this Act, that is inconsistent with this Act does not, to the extent of the inconsistency, have any force or effect.
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply in relation to a Commonwealth, State or Territory law if an Act expressly declares that law operates notwithstanding this Act.
(3) A declaration made under subsection (2) ceases to have effect 2 years after it comes into force or on such earlier date as may be specified in the declaration.
(4) The Parliament of the Commonwealth, a State or a Territory may re‑enact a declaration made under subsection (2).
(5) Subsection (3) applies in respect of a re‑enactment made under subsection (4).
11 Interpretation of legislation
(1) Notwithstanding anything in any other law relating to the construction or interpretation of legislation, in the interpretation of:
(a) a provision of a Commonwealth enactment; or
(b) a provision of a State enactment; or
(c) a provision of a Territory enactment;
a construction of the provision that would result in the enactment not being inconsistent with the Bill of Rights, or that would further the objects of this Act, will be preferred to any other construction.
(2) Without limiting the generality of subsection (1), in the interpretation of:
(a) an Act that authorises the making of an instrument (including a Territory enactment but not including an enactment of the Australian Capital Territory or of the Northern Territory); or
(b) a Territory enactment that authorises the making of an instrument;
a construction that would result in the Act or Territory enactment not authorising the making of an instrument that would be inconsistent with the Bill of Rights will be preferred to any other construction.
12 No civil or criminal liability under Bill of Rights
(1) Nothing in the Bill of Rights renders any individual liable to any civil proceedings in respect of the doing of an act that infringes a right or freedom set out in the Bill of Rights.
(2) Nothing in this Act renders any person liable to any criminal proceedings in respect of the doing of an act that infringes a right or freedom set out in the Bill of Rights.
13 Additional powers and functions of Commission
In addition to the powers and functions of the Commission under the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986, the Commission has the following powers and functions:
(a) to inquire into any act or practice that may infringe a right or freedom set out in the Bill of Rights, and
(i) where the Commission considers it appropriate to do so—to endeavour, by conciliation, to effect a settlement of the matters that gave rise to the inquiry; and
(ii) where the Commission is of the opinion that the act or practice infringes a right or freedom set out in the Bill of Rights, and the Commission has not considered it appropriate to endeavour to effect a settlement of the matters that gave rise to the inquiry or has endeavoured without success to effect such a settlement—to report to the Minister in relation to the inquiry;
(b) to promote an understanding and acceptance in Australia of the rights and freedoms set out in the Bill of Rights and of the objects of this Act, and to promote the protection of those rights and freedoms in Australia;
(c) to undertake research and educational programs and other programs, on behalf of the Commonwealth, for the purpose of promoting the rights and freedoms set out in the Bill of Rights and the objects of this Act;
(d) to examine enactments and, when requested by the Minister, proposed enactments for the purpose of ascertaining whether the enactments or proposed enactments are, or would be, inconsistent with the Bill of Rights, and to report to the Minister the results of any such examination;
(e) on its own initiative or when requested by the Minister, to report to the Minister as to the enactments that should be made by the Parliament, or action that should be taken by the Commonwealth, on matters relating to the rights and freedoms set out in the Bill of Rights; and
14 Performance of Commission in relation to Bill of Rights
(1) Subject to subsection (2), the powers and duties of the Commission set out in Division 2 of Part II of the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 are extended to apply also to rights and freedoms set out in the Bill of Rights.
(2) Before inquiring, under this Act, into an act or practice, the Commission must tell the responsible Minister that the Commission proposes to inquire into the act or practice.
15 Complaints and redress for infringement of rights or freedoms
(1) A written complaint may be lodged with the Commission, alleging that an act or practice infringes a right or freedom set out in the Bill of Rights.
(2) After a complaint is lodged with the Commission, a complainant, a respondent, an affected person or the Commission may apply for an interim injunction to the Federal Court or the Federal Circuit Court. The Courts may grant an interim injunction to maintain the status quo or maintain the rights of any complainant, respondent or affected person.
(3) Except as provided by this Part, Part IIB of the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 applies in relation to a complaint under subsection (1) to the extent necessary to enable the complaint to be dealt with as applicable, through:
(a) conciliation by the President; and
(b) proceedings in the Federal Court and the Federal Circuit Court.
(4) For the purposes of subsection (2), reference to unlawful discrimination in Part IIB of the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 is read as including an act or practice that infringes a right or freedom set out in the Bill of Rights.
16 Reporting to Parliament
(1) The Minister must cause a copy of every report given to the Minister by the Commission under paragraphs 13(a), (d) or (e) to be laid before each House of the Parliament within 15 sitting days of that House after the report is received by the Minister.
(2) Where the Commission gives to the Minister under paragraph 13(a), (d) or (e) a report that relates to:
(a) a State enactment, or proposed State enactment; or
(b) an act done or practice engaged in:
(i) by or on behalf of a State; or
(ii) by or on behalf of an authority of a State;
the Minister must immediately give a copy of the report to the Attorney‑General of that State.
(a) must not cause a copy of a report of the kind referred to in subsection (2) to be laid before either House of the Parliament until:
(i) the expiration of 30 days after a copy of the report was given to the Attorney‑General of the State concerned under subsection (2); or
(ii) the Minister receives from the Attorney‑General of the State concerned a statement relating to the enactment, act or practice to which the report related, whichever happens first; and
(b) must cause a copy of the report to be laid before each House of the Parliament within 15 sitting days after the happening of the first of the events referred to in subparagraphs (a) (i) and (ii); and
(c) if the event referred to in subparagraph (a) (ii) is the first to happen, or if, before the report is laid before either House of the Parliament pursuant to paragraph (b), the Minister receives from the Attorney‑General concerned a statement of the kind referred to in subparagraph (a) (ii)—must cause a copy of the statement to be attached to each copy of the report that is laid before a House of the Parliament pursuant to paragraph (b).
17 Jurisdiction of Federal Court and Federal Circuit Court
The Federal Court and the Federal Circuit Court have concurrent jurisdiction with respect to civil matters arising under Part 3.
(d) the right to obtain reasonable financial and technical assistance from the Government to pursue their political, economic, social and cultural development in a spirit of co‑existence with other Australian citizens and in conditions of freedom and dignity;
(d) every child will be protected from economic and social exploitation. Their employment under set age limits, or in work harmful to their morals or health, dangerous to life or likely to hamper their normal development should be prohibited and punishable by law.
(d) access to social security, including if they are unable to support themselves and their dependants, appropriate social assistance.
(1) Every person has the right to work including the right to the opportunity to gain reasonable payment for work the person freely chooses or accepts.
(1) Every person has the right to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well‑being.