By Paris Jo Pompor
In comparison with many other countries Australia may appear to be relatively free of human rights abuses, but an Amnesty International report released earlier this year shows that our historical as well as current records are nothing to be proud of.
In its role as human rights watchdog, AI provides independent reports on the ability of governments to protect their citizens against abuses. The report on Australia draws attention to Aboriginal deaths in custody, the over-representation of Aboriginal people in jail, Tasmania's discriminatory criminal code on homosexuality and the detention of asylum seekers. The report also covers general deaths in custody, immigration department misdealings and police maltreatment of Aboriginal people.
Previous Australian governments have been unwilling to pressure other governments to improve human rights practices — the Indonesian government's bad record in East Timor is a case in point — and the Howard government is no different. Nor is it likely to take the steps required to redress the wrongs detailed in the AI report.
For example, the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody's recommendations have not been implemented, yet the federal government is de-funding Aboriginal and community organisations, ATSIC and legal aid being two examples.
AI was accused by Sydney radio presenter Ron Casey of taking a position on land rights and being biased against the Australian government. He even advised listeners not to donate to AI, which relies on such donations to survive. Casey's remarks are astonishing, given that AI espouses no particular political or religious beliefs and does not take a position on issues others than human rights.
Ideally, the AI report should have prompted our government to look at its record. It should also encourage debate and stimulate informed discussion about the issues, hopefully leading to an improvement in Australia's human rights record.