Possible funding cut to Australian Human Rights Commission

Transcript

There's concern in Australia that the government there is cutting funding to the Human Rights Commission because of the body's inquiries into its treatment of asylum seekers.

Human Rights Law Centre Executive Director Hugh de Kretser says funding for the Commission has been slashed by around 30 percent over the next three years.

Mr de Krester told Koro Vaka'uta the why the funding might have been cut.

HUGH DE KRETSER:  The report suggested that the funding was being redirected towards the Royal Commission into Institutional Child Sex Abuse which is obviously critically important work that is being undertaken but from our point of view there is simply no justification for this really substantial cut to the Australian Human Rights Commission's budget when you look at the size of that cut relative to other cuts.  There's plenty of agencies that are avoiding cuts of almost a third to their entire operation which lends weight to the conclusion that this is a politically motivated cut really in response to the Commission's work around children in immigration detention.  The Commission was running an inquiry.  Their report hasn't been released yet but it's likely to be highly critical of the government so it certainly lends weight to the conclusion this is politically motivated.

KORO VAKA'UTA:  The Commission has also been vocal about amended laws and things like the Temporary Protection Visas, the Tavs coming in as well haven't they?

HDK:  Yes.  It comes at a time when the government should be increasing the capacity of Australia's human rights watchdog because of the pressing human rights issues particularly in the migration space but also with the passages of some very controversial counter-terrorism laws.  We need a strong balancing voice for human rights and yet what the government's doing is cutting the capacity of the Commission.

KV:  How will the services the Commission give be affected?

HDK:  A lot of the Commission's work that attracts media attention is the work around migration laws for example but a lot of its core work is around processing discrimination complaints.  It handles about 2,000 discrimination and human rights complaints a year so that may be one area that will come under pressure.  It does a lot of great work around disability standards.  It's really for the Commission to say this but these are some of the core fundamental operations and you can't simply remove 30% or 33% of their budget without it having a drastic impact across the board.  This is really part of a concerning trend of government responding to criticism by announcing funding cuts or changes to funding arrangements or putting pressure on particular organisations that advocate against government policy.  We've seen this already earlier this year with cuts to aboriginal legal services and the removal of their ability to undertake law reform and policy work, cuts to the environment defenders offices, cuts to immigration legal services, cuts to other community legal services, cuts to the Refugee Council.  The government has a pattern of targeting funding cuts and pressure against those organisations that are involved in advocacy that have criticised the government.