ACT residents seeking to complain about alleged breaches of human rights by public authorities will soon have an accessible pathway through which to raise their concerns.

They will be able to make a complaint to the ACT Human Rights Commission and take part in a confidential conciliation to resolve the issues. 

The types of outcomes that can result from conciliations at the Human Rights Commission include apologies, changes in policies and procedures, and staff training. 

In cases where a resolution cannot be reached through conciliation, the Commission will be able to recommend actions the public authority should take to ensure their acts and decisions are compatible with human rights.

Currently, community members can complain to the Supreme Court about breaches of human rights obligations by public authorities, and this pathway will continue to be available.

However, the ACT Government acknowledges that many Canberrans cannot easily access this pathway.

“The ACT Government is committed to building and strengthening our culture of human rights across the ACT and in the broader community so the ACT Human Rights Act 2004 can continue to protect the rights of all Canberrans,” Tara Cheyne, ACT Minister for Human Rights, said.

“Complainants who believe that their human rights have been breached by a public authority will be able to have this complaint considered by the Human Rights Commission. They can participate in confidential conciliation about their complaint and seek a mutually agreeable resolution with the public authority. 

“The establishment of the new complaints pathway provides an opportunity for human rights complaints to be resolved with open dialogue between parties.”

The new complaints pathway is expected to begin six months after the Human Rights (Complaints) Legislation Amendment Bill 2023 passes the Legislative Assembly.