President of Australian Human Rights Commission visits SCU

The President of the Australian Human Rights Commission, Emeritus Professor Gillian Triggs, will participate in a human rights symposium at Southern Cross University’s Gold Coast campus on Friday, July 11.

Professor Triggs will be joined by the University’s Chancellor The Hon John Dowd AO QC, who is also the President of the International Commission of Jurists Australia, to discuss ‘Creating a Human Rights Culture’.

Professor Bee Chen Goh, from the School of Law and Justice and the Centre for Peace and Social Justice who is hosting the event, said the two guest speakers will offer great insight on human rights to the audience.

“It is now timely to convene a symposium of this nature to reflect and examine where we are at as a nation in public awareness and pursuit of human rights,” she said.

“Following the keynote addresses from Professor Triggs and the Chancellor, there will be panel discussions on international and comparative aspects of human rights, as well as human rights considerations for minority and marginalised groups.”

In 2008, the Human Rights Consultation Committee found that Australians from across the country and political spectrum need and want ‘to create in Australia a culture in which human rights are better understood and are respected, protected and promoted’.

According to Professor Bee Chen Goh, the time is now ripe to ask how far we have come in developing a culture of human rights in Australia.

“Has the National Human Rights Framework been successful in educating our general understanding of what our human rights are, how they are protected and what our individual and collective responsibilities may be?” she said.

The Symposium will seek to examine how resilient are Australia’s human rights, particularly for the most marginalised members of our community, and what still needs to be done to strengthen both the understanding and respect for these rights.

The symposium runs from 10am to 3pm and is free to the public. Participants are asked to register by emailing lawevents@scu.edu.au.

MEDIA OPPORTUNITY: Emeritus Professor Gillian Triggs and The Hon John Dowd AO QC will be available for interview at Southern Cross University’s Gold Coast campus from 12.05pm on Friday, July 11. Photo: Emeritus Professor Gillian Triggs.