Today we are celebrating a significant win for human rights – the Queensland Human Rights Act passed through parliament.

This means that 23 vital human rights including freedom of association and freedom of expression, the right to education and the right to humane treatment in detention, will be better protected in Queensland law.

The Queensland Human Rights Act will have practical and enormous educational impact in Queensland. It will help to ensure that values like fairness, equality, respect and compassion – are reflected in government policies and services.  It will also require government to properly consider and comply with human rights and it will give people and communities power to hold government to account.   Queensland is now the third Australian jurisdiction with a Human Rights Act or Charter. Let’s hope that we will have a federal Human Rights Act soon.