ACT Bill of Rights
A bill of rights is a document that outlines various privileges that all people in society are entitled to, such as the right to legal representation. It ensures any new laws that Governments pass do not interfere with people’s rights, and that authorities (such as the police) treat people in accordance with their rights. The question of whether or not Australia should have a bill of rights has been hotly contested since the 1980s. Last Tuesday, the ACT became the first Australian jurisdiction to adopt a bill of rights, and it has caused the debate to flare once again. Larissa Behrendt is a professor of law and indigenous studies at UTS, and a member of the ACT’s Bill of Rights Consultative Committee, which formulated the Bill. Cameron Murphy is President of the NSW council for civil liberties and Bill Stephaniak, deputy leader of the ACT opposition, and outspoken opponent of the ACT’s bill of rights.