Queensland bill would stop a human rights rule applying to all prisoners
If passed as it stands, prisoners would have no basis to complain to the commission.
A Queensland government bill would stop section 58 of the Human Rights Act applying to decisions about all prisoners. Corrective Services staff, including the chief executive, would not have to properly consider prisoners' human rights.
Minister Laura Gerber says officers should not have to do extra human rights assessments before taking lawful action. Commissioner Debbie Platz says the change would include people on remand who have not been convicted.
The Human Rights Law Centre says the bill should not pass. It calls the bill profoundly dehumanising.
Ms Gerber said the government would 'always put the rights of victims before the rights of offenders'. The Queensland Ombudsman also opposes the exemption.
It warns of an ever-present risk of abuse. The bill would also extend 'restricted prisoner' status to all life-sentence prisoners who could not apply for parole for up to 10 years.
- Up to 10 years
- Life sentence parole bar
- Section 58 of the Human Rights Act
- Section affected
- Ever-present risk of abuse
- Warning on abuse
Why it mattersIt would decide how much protection prisoners keep when staff make decisions about them.
AustraliaFamilies of Queensland prisoners could face less protection over visits and conditions if the bill passes, critics warn.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 2 h ago
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