Amnesty International Australia
Defending Human Rights
An Australian white-supremacist and terrorist stands charged with murdering at least 50 people in Christchurch New Zealand last Friday. This tragedy has highlighted that white-extremism and associated divisive far-right ideology is becoming normalised in Australia and has enormous and tragic consequences. Whilst this catastrophic tragedy has saddened and angered our community, it is not entirely …
Continue reading “Open letter to politicians re Christchurch”
Syrian women must have an official and active role in shaping the country’s future Amnesty International said today, as it launched a new campaign highlighting the gender-based violations women have experienced during the conflict and the failure to include them in discussions and decision-making about the future. The campaign Unheard No More: Syrian women shaping Syria’s future illustrates how since the beginning of the Syrian crisis in 2011, women have …
Continue reading “Women must play an active role in shaping Syria’s future”
In recent times Amnesty has experienced increased challenges to our regular giving income. The cost of fundraising has steadily increased over the past few years and more significantly in 2018. As a result, Amnesty International Australia been looking at the best ways to withstand these challenges and ensure we can continue to defend human rights …
Continue reading “Securing Amnesty’s future in challenging times”
Australia’s crackdown on civil society: keeping company with repressive regimes like Azerbaijan, Belarus, China, Egypt, Hungary, Pakistan and Russia Controversial legislation restricting the activities of charities and advocacy groups passed by the Australian Parliament last year has drawn strong criticism in a new report from Amnesty International. The report, ‘Laws designed to silence: the global …
Continue reading “Laws designed to silence: The global crackdown on civil society organizations”
The Western Australian Government today announced the Premier’s Priorities. One of the targets announced is to: Reduce the overrepresentation of Aboriginal people in custody: By 2028-29, reduce the number of Aboriginal adults in prison by 23 percent from 2017-18 numbers. And with regards to children: Reduce youth reoffending: By 2022-23, have no more than 50 per cent …
Continue reading “Amnesty calls on WA Government to focus on keeping kids from behind bars”
Amnesty International Australia is making changes to our operational model to ensure we move forward as a sustainable organisation that delivers impact for many years to come. Human rights are under threat everywhere we turn. The politics of demonisation drive exclusion and hate, extremism and abuse. Technological change is more frenetic and many organisations have shifted …
The ACT Government today announced a new major justice reinvestment program, ‘Building Communities Not Prisons’. In response, Tammy Solonec, Indigenous Rights Manager at Amnesty International Australia, said: “At every opportunity possible, governments should be choosing to focus on prevention and diversion, not building more prisons. By launching a major justice reinvestment program over building a …
Continue reading “Amnesty welcomes ACT Government’s choice of prevention and diversion over prisons”
Medivac Bill a welcome step towards humanity for refugees In response to the Medivac Bill passing the senate and the Prime Minister’s announcement that Christmas Island will be reopening Amnesty International Australia Refugee Coordinator Graham Thom said: “The passing of the Medivac Bill is a welcome step towards humanity for the refugees on Manus and …
Continue reading “Medivac Bill a welcome step towards humanity for refugees”
The Queensland Government today became the first state to release a whole-of-government report card on efforts towards Closing the Gap. In response, Rodney Dillon, Indigenous Rights Adviser, at Amnesty International Australia, said: “Government and community solutions to close the gap of disadvantage between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians must be driven by data. “Report cards are …
Continue reading “Queensland Closing the Gap Report Card shows why justice targets are needed”
Online booking giants Airbnb, Booking.com, Expedia and TripAdvisor are fuelling human rights violations against Palestinians by listing hundreds of rooms and activities in Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land, including East Jerusalem, Amnesty International said today. In a new report, ‘Destination: Occupation’, the organization documents how online booking companies are driving tourism to illegal Israeli …
