The Consultation Committee for a Proposed WA Human Rights Act

To lead the community consultation, the Government has appointed an independent committee of well-respected community leaders. The committee comprises:

Hon Fred Chaney AO (Chairman) Director of Reconciliation Australia Ltd, former Deputy President of the National Native Title Tribunal and former Chancellor of Murdoch University
Ms Lisa Baker Executive Director of the Western Australian Council of Social Service
The Most Revd Dr Peter Carnley AO Former Anglican Archbishop of Perth and former Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia
Associate Professor Colleen Hayward Manager, Kulunga Research Network, Telethon Institute for Child Health Research

The Committee's role is to:

• consider and consult with Western Australians about the ways in which greater awareness of, respect for, and observance of, human rights can be achieved at all levels of the State Government and throughout the Western Australian community
  
  
• ask the community what it thinks about the Government's preferred model for a WA Human Rights Act which is set out in the Draft Bill
  
  
• identify a human rights framework that will serve the needs of Western Australians in the future rather than to look at past and present policies and actions
  
  
• make recommendations to the Government about the matters which should be addressed in a WA Human Rights Act in order to create a human rights culture in this State.

The Committee will be assisted by Professor George Williams, Director of Public Law, University of NSW and Chairman, Victorian Human Rights Consultative Committee.

The Committee reported back to the Government on 16 November 2007. The Committee has no further role and has now disbanded.