Fed: Bill of rights back on the agenda

AAP General News (Australia)
12-03-2008
Fed: Bill of rights back on the agenda

CANBERRA, Dec 3 AAP - Federal Labor MPs are backing plans for a public debate on a
national bill of rights, but the idea is not supported by the coalition.

The federal government is set to begin a consultation process next week into what the
document should look like, Fairfax says.

The charter would outline a set of rights and require the parliament to ensure legislation
complied with them.

Labor backbencher Yvette D'Ath welcomed the push, saying some in the community had
been asking for a bill of rights.

"I think there is merit to having some basic rights outlined in a bill of rights or
the constitution," she told reporters on Wednesday.

It was a complex issue and the government would have to make sure any bill of rights
was enforceable, she said.

Her position was supported by other Labor MPs, but not by the coalition.

Former attorney-general Philip Ruddock said democratically-elected parliaments were
best-placed to protect human rights.

"Bills of rights impose rigidities that are determined by unelected judicial officers
in the main, rather than elected parliaments," he told reporters in Canberra.

"A lot of the commentary tends to come from those who often haven't tried their arm
at trying to convince the Australian public that the views that they hold ought to be
preferred."

AAP ca/rl/ldj

KEYWORD: RIGHTS MPS

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