You are here

Human Rights


Protest, Climate Emergency

Human Rights Watch Condemn Tasmania’s Anti-protest Laws

International Human Rights Watch’s World Report for 2023* highlights how Tasmania’s recently passed laws “invoke severe penalties for non-violent protest”

Dr Rosalie Woodruff MP  |  Media Release  |  13 Jan 2023


Lonely Child

UN Committee Recommendations Must Be Urgently Addressed

The UN Committee against Torture’s concluding observations on the sixth periodic report of Australia provides substantive recommendations for Tasmania.

Cassy O'Connor MP  |  Media Release  |  28 Nov 2022


House of Assembly, Tasmania

Attorney-General and Justice – Consent to Medical Treatment

The Tasmanian Law Reform Institute has also done another excellent body of research on legal recognition of sex and gender.

Dr Rosalie Woodruff MP  |  Parliamentary Activity  |  6 Jun 2022


LGBTI Flags

Greens Welcome Premier’s commitment to Pursuing Ban on Conversion Practices

The Greens welcome the Premier’s commitment to act on the Tasmanian Law Reform Commission’s report on harmful, unscientific conversion practices.

Cassy O'Connor MP  |  Media Release  |  6 Jun 2022


Prison, Man Gripping Bars

OPCAT Implementation Bill 2021

It has been the work and passionate advocacy of people campaigning for justice and campaigning for an end to cruelty for many decades.

Dr Rosalie Woodruff MP  |  Parliamentary Activity  |  28 Oct 2021


House of Assembly, Tasmania

Attorney-General and Justice - Nazi Iconography and Memorabilia

Victoria's Attorney-General, Jaclyn Symes, has recently announced that the Victorian government will be banning the display of Nazi iconography.

Dr Rosalie Woodruff MP  |  Parliamentary Activity  |  8 Sep 2021


Legislation, Clause Being Highlighted

Attorney-General and Justice - OPCAT

The Closing the Gap implementation plan notes that the Commonwealth will provide funding over two years to states and territories to implement OPCAT.

Dr Rosalie Woodruff MP  |  Parliamentary Activity  |  8 Sep 2021


House of Assembly, Tasmania

Afghanistan - Humanitarian Tragedy

The Taliban's history is defined by brutal repression, particularly towards minority groups and women and girls.

Cassy O'Connor MP  |  Parliamentary Activity  |  2 Sep 2021


Chinese Flag

Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China - Support for Uyghur Population

It is estimated up to two million ethnic Uyghur Muslims from the Xinjiang region of China have been subject to an attempted genocide.

Cassy O'Connor MP  |  Parliamentary Activity  |  1 Sep 2021


Chinese Flag

Persecuted Uyghurs Need Political Leaders to Step Up

On behalf of the Tasmanian Greens, today I added my signature to the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China’s letter to the Moroccan Justice Minister

Cassy O'Connor MP  |  Media Release  |  6 Aug 2021


Law Books

Role of the Public Trustee: Guardianship and Administration Act 1995

It is, they are alleging, an extremely serious extent of deprivation of liberty and an abuse of human rights.

Dr Rosalie Woodruff MP  |  Parliamentary Activity  |  30 Jun 2021


LGBTI Flags

Coroner's Office - Recognition of Legal Status of Relationships

In 2015 Mr Ben Jago was refused the status of senior next of kin by the Tasmanian Coroner, despite having that status under the Relationships Act.

Dr Rosalie Woodruff MP  |  Parliamentary Activity  |  24 Mar 2021


Prison, Barbed-Wire Fence

Roger Jaensch: Hapless or Heartless?

In Question Time today, we asked the Minister for Human Services, about two very serious allegations, relating to Ashley Youth Detention Centre.

Cassy O'Connor MP  |  Media Release  |  25 Mar 2021


Prison, Barbed-Wire Fence

Custodial Inspector Amendment (OPCAT) Bill 2020

On 21 December 2017, Australia ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

Dr Rosalie Woodruff MP  |  Submission  |  11 Dec 2020


Gordon Dam, Hydro Tasmania

Hydro Tasmania – Involvement in Controversial Projects

The table shows that the residual mitigated risk on human rights issues and community outrage was high.

Dr Rosalie Woodruff MP  |  Parliamentary Activity  |  9 Dec 2020


Prison, Man Gripping Bars

Attorney-General and Justice – OPCAT

There is a concern that if this moves to the custodial inspector areas such as aged care and the disability sector would not be within their purview.

Dr Rosalie Woodruff MP  |  Parliamentary Activity  |  25 Nov 2020


Prison, Man Gripping Bars

Mental Health and Wellbeing – Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture and cruel and degrading treatment (OPCAT)

Australia has ratified OPCAT and has agreed to establish national preventative measures or NPMs at a national level and also for each state to create measures.

Dr Rosalie Woodruff MP  |  Parliamentary Activity  |  24 Nov 2020


House of Assembly, Tasmania

Comment by Member for Clark, Ms Haddad

Ms Haddad should have the insight and the guts to apologise. Ms Haddad is consciously or unconsciously running Chinese Communist Party talking points.

Cassy O'Connor MP  |  Parliamentary Activity  |  20 Aug 2020


Chinese Flag

Human Rights and the Chinese Government

I first commend Mr Ferguson for his previous contribution and also pay my respects to the Vietnam Veterans of Tasmania and Australia.

Cassy O'Connor MP  |  Parliamentary Activity  |  18 Aug 2020


Voluntary Assisted Dying, Hand on Hand

Record-Breaking Voluntary Assisted Dying Petition Tabled

The largest ever e-petition to come before the Tasmanian Parliament was tabled this morning in the House of Assembly. 

Cassy O'Connor MP  |  Media Release  |  19 Aug 2020


Privacy, Cyber Security, Padlock over Globe with Binary Code

Ferguson Must Come Clean on Facial Recognition

The Tasmanian Government has transferred 410 000 photographs of Tasmanians to a facial recognition database in Canberra without their consent.

Cassy O'Connor MP  |  Media Release  |  10 Dec 2019


Pills

Labor Party Plans for Future

This is a highly political and silly motion in the way it is drafted.

Dr Rosalie Woodruff MP  |  Parliamentary Activity  |  11 Sep 2019


Mental Health, Man on Couch

Willow Court

As every member of this House knows, Willow Court has a dark history but it is one of those sites in Tasmania that we need to look after.

Cassy O'Connor MP  |  Parliamentary Activity  |  5 Sep 2019


LGBTI Flags

Shameful, Dangerous Liberal Fear-mongering on Human Rights Reform

The Tasmanian Liberals are demonstrating their dangerous fear and ignorance of transgender and intersex Tasmanians.

Cassy O'Connor MP  |  Media Release  |  24 Nov 2018


Lonely Child

Child Safe Standards

It is quite breathtaking that we, in 2018, we still do not have a set of nationally consistent standards for child safety.

Cassy O'Connor MP  |  Parliamentary Activity  |  26 Sep 2018


Chinese Flag

China Trade Delegation - Timing

The trade mission was not scheduled in the six-week winter break or even in the most recent two-week gap between sittings.

Cassy O'Connor MP  |  Parliamentary Activity  |  25 Sep 2018


Preferential Voting, Ballot Paper

Tasmania Needs a Charter of Human Rights

The Greens will bring Tasmanian law into the 21st century and protect Tasmanian individuals and communities with a Charter of Human Rights.

Cassy O'Connor MP  |  Media Release  |  1 Feb 2018


Multicultural, Hands on Hands

Premier Fails to Condemn Federal Liberals over Manus Island Emergency

Premier Hodgman has failed compassionate Tasmanians by remaining silent about the human rights emergency unfolding on Manus Island.

Cassy O'Connor MP  |  Media Release  |  1 Nov 2017


Voluntary Assisted Dying, Hand on Hand

Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2016 Tabled

This is the third dying with dignity Bill to be presented to the Tasmanian Parliament since 2009. 

Cassy O'Connor MP  |  Media Release  |  17 Nov 2016


Justice, Scales and Gavel

Preventative detention orders unnecessary

The Greens today voted against the continuation of preventative detention orders.

Dr Rosalie Woodruff MP  |  Media Release  |  17 Sep 2015


Multicultural, Hands on Hands

Vale Malcolm Fraser

Malcolm Fraser’s fierce and principled advocacy for human rights, both at home and internationally, transcended the political divide.

Kim Booth  |  Media Release  |  20 Mar 2015


Money, Australian Dollars, Notes

Public Trustee Fees Cost

The government is forcing the Public Trustee to unfairly gouge the wallets of people who are under Administration Orders.

Nick Mckim  |  Media Release  |  4 Dec 2014


Mental Health, Man on Couch

Willow Court Apology One Step Closer

It is now almost 14 years since Willow Court and the Royal Derwent hospital were closed.

Cassy O'Connor MP  |  Media Release  |  28 Oct 2014


Multicultural, Hands on Hands

Call to Reopen Pontville Detention Centre

The growing calls for the reopening of Pontville to facilitate more humane onshore processing of asylum seekers are welcome and timely.

Kim Booth  |  Media Release  |  23 Oct 2014


Parliament House, Tasmania

Leader's State Conference Speech

In a rallying cry to the Party faithful today, the Greens declared they are determined to stand up for the community, the environment and democracy.

Kim Booth  |  Media Release  |  21 Sep 2014