NSW Jewish Board of Deputies Passover Seder

Freedom in Australia

The Honourable Catherine Branson QC

7 April 2011

I would like to begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we gather today, the Gadigal people of the Eora nation.

Thank you, Yair, for your warm introduction.

It is a great honour to be invited to speak tonight at this special celebration for the Jewish people. Passover is a celebration of the journey of the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt to freedom. It is a journey that represents taking responsibility for oneself, one’s community and the world.

Our community in Australia is an increasingly diverse one. This invites us to reflect on what it means to be Australian. What do we mean when we invite newcomers to our country to adopt ‘Australian values’?

The Australian Values Statement, published by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, says that:

Australian society values respect for the freedom and dignity of the individual, freedom of religion, commitment to the rule of law, Parliamentary democracy, equality of men and women and a spirit of egalitarianism that embraces mutual respect, tolerance, fair play and compassion for those in need and pursuit of the public good. Australian society values equality of opportunity for individuals, regardless of their race, religion or ethnic background.^[1]

These are all, I’m sure you will agree, important aspects of the Australian notion of a ‘fair go’. As it happens, they also reflect fundamental rights set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. There is a very close correlation between ‘Australian values’ and universally accepted human rights. This should not surprise us, as Australia played a significant part in the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. 

The Declaration opens by recognising that respect for human rights is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world. It is my belief that respect for human rights can also be the cement that binds our increasingly diverse nation together as a free, just and peaceful community. The ‘Australian values’ that we hold dear, whatever their origin, now enjoy universal legitimacy derived from their reflection in international human rights instruments. Every person who is part of the Australian community may legitimately be asked to respect the ‘Australian values’ outlined in this statement, which are, in truth, universal values. Ensuring respect for these values requires taking responsibility for ourselves and our communities.

Although there is no hierarchy of human rights, there is one right that I would like to discuss in more detail. That is the right to freedom from fear and violence. Australian statistics in this area are gravely concerning. The Australian Bureau of Statistics has reported that one in three Australian women has experienced physical violence since the age of fifteen.^[2] A few years ago, a study involving 38,000 Australian school-aged children showed that at least half of them had experienced bullying at school.^[3]

Sadly, violence and harassment are all-too familiar for many in the Jewish community. This is revealed in disturbing detail by the comprehensive annual report published by Jeremy Jones AM on Anti-Semitism in Australia.

Because violence, harassment and bullying profoundly affect the lives of thousands of Australians, the Australian Human Rights Commission has decided that tackling them should be a key priority for our work over at least the next two years.

I think that you will be particularly interested in one aspect of our work in the areas of bullying and harassment. As we all know, with the proliferation of new communications technologies and the dramatic increase in the use of the Internet and social networking sites, new arenas have been created in which harassment and bullying can take place, including racially and religiously motivated bullying and harassment. In 2011, the Commission will launch a new initiative to empower young people in particular to oppose bullying, especially cyber-bullying, with an emphasis on empowering bystanders to speak out against bullies and provide support to victims.

Finally, I am pleased to be able to report that the process of appointing a stand alone Race Discrimination Commissioner who will form part of the Australian Human Rights Commission has commenced. The funding for this initiative was announced by the Government immediately ahead of Australia’s Universal Periodic Review before the United Nations Human Rights Council. I feel confident that this welcome development came, at least in part, as a result of community advocacy, including by the Executive Council of Australian Jewry.

In Australia we enjoy many freedoms. Respect for human rights is a core element of any free, just and peaceful society and a core element of those values which we intuitively recognise as Australian values. We must continue to strive together to ensure that the rights and freedoms of all in our community are respected.

^[1] Department of Immigration and Citizenship Australian Values Statement http://www.immi.gov.au/living-in-australia/values/statement/long/ (viewed at 7 April 2011).
^[2] ABS, Personal Safety, Australia, 2005 (Reissue), Catalogue No. 4906.0 (2006), p 7. At www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4906.0Main+Features12005%20(Reissue)?OpenDocument (viewed 5 March 2010).
^[3] K Rigby, ‘What harm does bullying do?’ paper presented at the Children and Crime: Victims and Offenders Conference, Australian Institute of Criminology, Brisbane (1999) p 4, quoted in Kids Helpline newsletter, Edition 2 2010, p 1. At www.kidshelp.com.au/upload/22860.pdf (viewed 9 December 2010).