The Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade has had a long practice of examining human rights issues. This practice has extended over many parliaments. It has also established a Human Rights Sub-Committee to hear from individuals and groups and to inquire into various human rights issues. In the current Parliament, these inquiries have proposed Magnitsky-type legislation for Australia, made recommendations about the human rights of women and girls in the Pacific, and measures to help eliminate child and forced marriage.
The Sub-Committee has also held many private briefings and several round tables on specific issues. However, it has not to date tabled a general report on human rights issues.
Accordingly, this First periodic report on Human Rights is an endeavour by the Committee to complement its work by reporting to the parliament about the range of issues it has considered during this term of parliament.
It is the Committee’s intention that this report constitutes a precedent for future periodic reports to the parliament about human rights.
I thank the Deputy Chair and my colleagues on the Sub-Committee for their co‑operative approach to these important issues, and the many individuals and organisations that shared their experiences, observations and suggestions with us.
Hon Kevin Andrews MP
Chair
Human Rights Sub-Committee