Equal rights or jargon?

There has been talk from some in the chattering circles that Australia lost its shine as a human rights leader when things close to home started looking a little grubby.

The 2001 Tampa issue, Australia’s inhospitable detention centres and treatment of Indigenous people during the Howard years often raised eyebrows.

In looking at Australia’s place in the future of equality for all, the Victorian Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby is hosting a forum on human rights and Australia’s advocacy role on the world stage.

The forum will pose important questions about the effectiveness of fighting for human rights to further equality, and the extent to which the pursuit of equal rights gets tied up in political jargon.

Experts from the field of international development, human rights groups and local organisations will cast an eye over some of the more recent events such as the Northern Territory intervention and the 2004 amendment to the Marriage Act to ban same-sex marriage.

The forum is open to all and is part of the Midsumma schedule.

VGLRL co-convenor and forum organiser Hayley Conway said she’s looking for a -œuseful big picture conversation that will involve the whole community.

-œWe don’t want something that is purely an academic debate, so we will be looking to avoid that but certainly [human rights issues] can often be in-depth topics so we’re trying to strike a balance so it’s not only accessible to people who have an international development degree.

Conway said she believes as one of the first modernised Western countries in the region, Australia plays a leading role in speaking out on human rights, but is still -œbehind the eight ball in many areas.

-œGLBTI issues still fall under the categories of human rights and if people aren’t addressing them as such, and are addressing them as minority group issues, then it’s just a way of segregating people, she said.

One of the disappointments, according to Conway, is party politicking getting in the way of legislative change when issues become too challenging or divisive.

-œIf the people in charge of decisions are concerned about losing pre-selection or losing their seat … you end up in a dangerous, downward spiral where things don’t improve because people aren’t willing to risk anything to make them improve.

The VGLRL will put together a new Not Yet Equal report in 2009 and will use any relevant feedback from the forum.

info: VGLRL Human Rights Forum -“ Are human rights the way forward for equality or simply more political jargon? Kulin Room (Rooftop) City Village, 225 Bourke St, Sunday January 25. Doors open at 3pm (panel at 4pm), gold coin donation. www.vglrl.org.au