Religious freedom is a fundamental human right, safeguarded by the Australian Constitution; individuals are free to express a diversity of views, as long as they do not incite religious hatred. This book provides an overview of the latesttrends in religious affiliation in Australia. The book also explores human rights and religion in Australian law, in response to recent calls for stronger legislative recognition and protection of religious freedoms, including exemptions from anti-discrimination laws. How much vilification is experienced by religious groups in Australia? Should faith-based organisations be allowed to discriminate to avoid injury to religious sensitivities? Is there enough separation between religion and the state, or should Australia's government be more secular? Even in a modern and tolerant multi-faith society such as Australia, religious freedom is a complex and contested concept, where does the balance lie?
The treatment and welfare of animals is an ongoing and contentious debate driven by legal and ethical questions arising over the way in which humans exploit animals for a range of uses. This book explores the ethical distinctions between animal rights and animal welfare, which includes the debated concepts of sentience and 'speciesism'. A variety of views are presented in the debate over the way in which humans use and exploit animals for clothing, food (e.g. factory farming, live exports), scientific research, entertainment, sport and companionship.
Freedom of expression and tolerance are considered core features of our democracy. Free speech was at the centre of a recent controversial debate in federal politics regarding changes to section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act to removethe words "offend, insult, humiliate" from section 18C, and replace them with the word "harass". The rewording proposed by a number of conservative politicians was voted down by the Senate, but the government emerged with changes to the complaint-handling process by the Australian Human Rights Commission, making it easier to dismiss vexatious complaints and require greater transparency toward defendants. How is free speech justified in Australia, and what laws are in place to protect people from defamation and discrimination such as racial vilification? Which speech deserves special protections; should some speech acts be punished? When does the right to freedom of expression become a right to offend? Is free speech at risk in Australia, or is the balance right'.
Disability is part of human diversity. There are many different kinds of disability, caused by accidents, illness or genetic disorders. One in five Australians have a disability, however many encounter a range of barriers, stereotypes and negative attitudes. They are more likely to experience poverty, live in poor quality or insecure housing, suffer from mental illness and have low levels of education. They are often socially isolated, with fewer opportunities to take part in community life. How do people with disabilities live their daily lives, and what levels of care and support are currently available to them? What protections are available to people experiencing discrimination in employment, education, accommodation, and with limited access to services and public places? This book examines disability prevalence and support in Australia, and explores issues involving disability rights and discrimination.
Human rights recognise the inherent value of every person, regardless of our respective backgrounds, where we live, what we look like, what we think or what we believe. These rights are based on universal principles of dignity, equality andmutual respect, and are shared across cultures, religions and philosophies. Human rights are about being treated fairly, treating others fairly and having the ability to make choices in our daily lives. Australia is currently bidding for a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council, however its own human rights record is not without controversy. What are Australia's international and domestic human rights obligations and how are they being addressed in relation to a number of high profile issues such as asylum seeker detention, racial discrimination, free speech, indigenous advancement, juvenile incarceration, disability rights, gender equality and same-sex marriage? Does Australia need to lift its game on human rights if it is to be taken seriously on the international stage?
Bullying involves one or more people repeatedly and deliberately harming, threatening or frightening someone with words, behaviour or actions. Bullying can be insistent and insidious and have devastating impacts on not just victims, but everyone involved. Bullying is, unfortunately, common among young Australians at school, online and via mobile phones. This book identifies the various forms of bullying, explains its causes and effects, and presents advice on school anti-bullying strategies and how to tackle cyberbullying. Whether you are an educator, student, parent, bystander, offender or victim, there is an abundance of helpful information in this book to assist in understanding bullying and how to deal with it. Bullying is not okay, and should never be accepted as a regular part of growing up.
Sexual harassment is any unwanted or unwelcome sexual behaviour, which makes a person feel humiliated, offended or intimidated. Recent personal revelations of sexual abuse and assault in Hollywood and in Australia's own entertainment industry have inspired the #metoo campaign and publicly illustrated how prevalent and damaging such unlawful behaviours can be to the mostly female victims. This title explores the extent and impacts of everyday sexism and sexual harassment. It offers advice on how offenders, victims, bystanders and society as a whole can address this epidemic of sexual abuse which has, for so many years, gone unchecked and unchallenged in the face of male privilege, thereby further perpetuating female objectification and gender inequality. This volume also focuses on sexual harassment and violence in the workplace and on campuses, and how to prevent and report it. We all need to become champions of change and stop sexual harassment.
Older people make up a significant proportion of Australia's population - over 1 in 7 people are aged 65 and over. Australians enjoy one of the highest life expectancies in the world, however the success of our collective ageing has revealed a range of challenges and evidence of failures in how we treat older people. Most older Australians are living longer and in better health than ever before, but while some groups thrive in retirement and into older age, others continue to face disadvantage and discrimination that affects both their health and opportunities for social and economic engagement. The recent Royal Commission into aged care has highlighted many troubling cases of neglect and abuse of frail, elderly people which has shocked the nation. Ageism is still widespread, and common stereotypes continue to undermine and stigmatise the capacities of older people. What are the implications of an ageing population? In what ways do older people contribute to our society and economy; and how do we learn to value and care for them as their needs grow with advancing age, declining health and increasing disability? Ageing and older people should matter to us all.
Privacy is a fundamental human right; it underpins our freedom of association, thought and expression, and freedom from discrimination. It includes physical privacy, surveillance and information privacy. However, it is not absolute, it is hard to define, and sometimes harder to protect. What are the principles and laws that apply to privacy and personal information protection in Australia? How do tech giants like Facebook and Google profit from personal data, and how accountable are they to consumers and governments? Security cameras, CCTV, drones, ID scanning, smart home devices, GPS, tracing apps, and facial recognition technology - how much surveillance are you really subjected to by governments, corporations, hackers and law enforcement? Although privacy laws have expanded in recent years to deal with emerging technologies, there are still flaws and gaps in Australia's regulation. This title examines rights and responsibilities in relation to privacy and personal information and shines a light on the growth in digital surveillance. The book also offers advice on how to understand and preserve individual privacy and protect your personal information online. Are we too trusting, at the expense of our precious privacy?
Children and young people have a fundamental right to be heard and taken seriously about matters affecting them. They have the same general human rights as adults, but also possess specific rights that recognise their special needs and potential. This book explains how these rights are set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child - the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history. It also examines the state of children's rights in Australia, where there have been some positive developments, but also a number of critical issues and mixed results. The latest progress reports recommend that Australia improves its treatment of vulnerable children in certain areas, including reducing youth detention, raising the age of criminal responsibility, supporting youth mental health, advancing outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, caring for asylum seeker and refugee children, addressing child abuse and neglect, and eliminating youth poverty. What are the rights of parents in relation to raising their children, and why is it still legal for adults to hit children as punishment? There is still a gap between the rights Australia has promised vulnerable children and how those rights are implemented. Are the human rights of our children and young people at risk?
Gender, sex and sexuality are separate, distinct parts of people's overall identity, and are not always obvious or easy concepts to understand. Sexuality is about how you see and express yourself romantically and sexually. Gender refers to an internal sense of identity, while sex refers to the identity assigned to a person at birth based on physical characteristics. There are lots of ways to describe sexuality and gender, a number of which are captured by the term LGBTQIA+. Many LGBTQIA+ people face discrimination and prejudice that can affect their health, wellbeing, rights and opportunities. This book explores a range of issues across the sexual identity and gender diversity spectrum, including issues such as coming out and disclosure, being an ally to LGBTQIA+ people, and addressing the human rights of the LGBTQIA+ members of our community. Not everyone's identity and orientation is black and white. Learn how to acknowledge all people's true colours, with acceptance and understanding, and without prejudice.
Gender equality occurs when people of all genders have equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities. In light of recent revelations about sexual harassment and assault in Australia's parliament and the subsequent staging of a national women's safety summit, it is clear that we have a long way to go when it comes to the equal treatment of women. Australian women continue to fear for their safety, earn less than men, and are less likely to advance to leadership positions in their careers. Rigid stereotypes and gender roles continue to entrench male power and privilege. This book examines key gender inequality issues, including global progress on women's rights; gendered violence and abuse; calling out sexist attitudes and behaviours; closing the gender pay gap; ending sexual harassment and sex discrimination at work; and advancing women in leadership positions in politics and workplace management. What more could Australia, and in particular its men, do to keep women safe and close the gaping gender gaps in our society?