2004
2004.1. Humanitarian Migration Program, 2004-05
Submitted 16 February 2004 to the Department of Immigration, Australia.
Published: Victorian Humanist, April 2004: 4.
To the Department of Immigration we made the following main points on the 2004-05 Humanitarian Migration Program.
* We urged that Australia’s harsh detention regime be modified by a speedier processing system, and the controlled release into the community, particularly of women and children.
* The appeals systems, often the cause of lengthy delays, should be restructured to provide an independent assessment of cases. The Department should not be able to appeal the cases it loses this [sic: thus?] causing more delays.
* The Immigration Department should be obliged by law to inform asylum seekers of their rights.
* We believe we can and should return to the previous quota of around 20,000 annual intake and not the reduced number of 12,000.
* Rapidly changing geopolitical circumstances require adjustments in policy. Most migrants now originate from places in political, religious and ethnic turmoil with life-threatening conditions. It would be reprehensible to force these people to return under our refoulement [sic: resettlement?] policy.
* The offshore selection of skilled and educated migrants and the influx of overseas tourists, students, business and other short-term visitors who decide to remain here meets our traditional migration goals but does not qualify as a humanitarian approach.
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2004.2. Ethical Aspects of Xenotransplantation
Submitted 8 March 2004 to the Health Ethics Section, National Health and Medical Research Council
Published: Victorian Humanist, 2004: – .
On research into xenotransplantation we made the following main points to the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC):
* The HSV supports strict regulation of this research.
* Proposed regulations are based on highly ethical principles.
* We support the advice of the Australian Infection Control Association on possible emergence of a new infective agent.
* We suggest that initially research be carried out in an isolated facility well equipped for infection control.
* This research should be centralised to avoid duplication of procedures.
* It should require a licence restricted to carefully selected experts in this field.
* On funding: we strongly urge that this research and practice remain in the public domain to ensure equity of access and prevent any new knowledge becoming the property of sponsoring companies.
* Close cooperation with overseas research in this area would be highly desirable.
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2004.3. Aboriginal Justice Agreement (Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, Victoria)
Submitted 21 June 2004 to the Department of Justice, Victoria.
Published: Victorian Humanist, July 2004: 4.
To the Victorian Justice Department on Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, we made the following points:
* The terms of reference indicate a further welcome shift from the previous policies of paternalism and assimilation towards self-determination and co-operative decision making.
* We believe the difficulties of aligning diversity with justice can be overcome.
* We support the concept of Koori Courts where justice can be administrated with cultural understanding and wisdom.
* We regard the educational disadvantage of Kooris as a major cause of their over-representation in the criminal justice system.
* We expressed the view that the Worawa Aboriginal College has an impressive curriculum and range of programs which deal with youth problems.
* Indigenous ill health and deaths in custody are closely linked. Given that cultural values and beliefs play an important role in successful therapy, we suggested that careers for indigenous care givers — doctors, nurses, psychiatrists — be encouraged through the provision of scholarships and reserved places in tertiary courses.
* To increase the economic opportunities of indigenous Australians’ enterprises structured as co-operatives would, we believe, better reflect the ethos of sharing inherent in Aboriginal culture.
* A Bill of Rights, preferably in the Australian, rather than a State, Constitution, would aid in the full implementation of all recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, and might significantly reduce the prejudice, racism and social marginalisation still experienced by many indigenous people.
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2004.4. Administration of Aboriginal Affairs (ATSIC Amendment Bill)
Submitted 28 July 2004 to the Senate Select Committee on the Administration of Indigenous Affairs, Parliament of Australia.
Published: Victorian Humanist, Oct. 2004: 4.
To Senate Select Committee on the Administration of Indigenous Affairs, we made the following points:
* In absence of an Australian Bill of Rights it is vital that this ATSI Commission Amendment Bill protects the rights of indigenous people.
* The right to have elected representatives is fundamental. Appointed representation would be a regression into paternalism.
* On all measures the well-being of indigenous Australians is far below average. Long-term and continuing failure of mainstream service delivery accounts for this inequity. This Inquiry offers an opportunity to redress this situation.
* Knowledge of cultural values, sensitivities and aspirations is vital in appropriate and successful service delivery. Thus such services should be under the control of the new national indigenous representative body.
* Good health, education, employability and social cohesion underpin well-being. The many devastated, dysfunctional Aboriginal communities stand as an indictment of our disregard for human rights.
* Time and resources must be given to the new management. It is not clear whether present assets of ATSIC† would be sufficient for this purpose.
* Enshrining the rights of indigenous Australians in law would aid in reducing the prejudice, and racism many still experience.
[† ATSIC, Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Commission.]
[See also 2005.3, ATSIC Amendment Bill, supplementary.]
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2004.5. Civil Union and Relationship Bill, New Zealand
Submitted August 2004 to the Justice & Electoral Committee, Parliament of New Zealand.
Published: Victorian Humanist, Oct. 2004: 4.
To the NZ Parliament on a Civil Union & Relationship Bill we submitted the following points in support of the NZ Association of Rationalists & Humanists:
* Given the tragic consequences of homophobia it is incumbent on the legislators to protect the rights of gays and those in long-term committed, de facto relationships.
* Legal recognition would protect the emotional and economic well-being of these families, protect the legal rights of their children and remove judicial discrimination.
* It is often stated, but untrue, that only the traditional marriage can provide a happy childhood. Many children suffer appalling treatment within unions recognised by law.
* Condemnations of same-sex couples stem from religious proscriptions restricting sexual activity to procreation. Modem partnerships also express commitment and love through intimate contact.
* The number of committed de facto and same-sex couples continue to rise and several jurisdictions have passed laws recognising such unions, e.g. Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Portugal, Greenland, State of Ontario, City of New York.
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2004.6. “Commercial: In Confidence”
Submitted 2 September 2004 to the Attorney-General, Australia, and others (shadow ministers and other governments).
Published: Victorian Humanist, Nov. 2004: 4.
On commercial confidentiality in government we made the following points:
* We are concerned about the over-use of the clause “commercial: in confidence”(CIC) to avoid disclosure, accountability and scrutiny. This denies the citizen’s “right to know” about the conduct of their government and various enterprises, and the ability to make informed decisions.
* Privatization, outsourcing and public-private-partnerships (PPS) create secrecy which causes suspicion, mistrust and cynicism towards government.
* Most Freedom of Information (FOI) requests are rejected on CIC grounds and therefore no longer serve their initial purpose.
* We quote experts in support of the view that disclosure would enhance rather than inhibit competition. In UK, NZ, USA full details of contracts are routinely published.
* Some outsourced activities result in human rights abuses, e.g. in some private prisons and detention centres, manufacturing in “sweatshops”, the use of child labour, and the use of mercenaries in military operations which do not comply with the Geneva Convention. Such outsourcing is an abrogation of duty of care and of due process by the government. We quote some instances of such abuse.
* We list the disadvantages of lack of disclosure in PPSs and quote public accountability and disclosure as the core value of good corporate citizenship as set out in the UN Global Compact.
* We made several recommendations to amend existing laws towards more open and democratic governance.
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[End of 2004]
