Human rights spotlight: cultural rights

Queensland’s new Human Rights Act will protect 23 human rights from 1 January 2020 and will make Queensland the first Australian jurisdiction to protect cultural rights for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Examples of practicing culture include:

• maintaining and using Indigenous languages
• maintaining kinship ties
• Having freedom to teach cultural practices and education to children
• Having the right to maintain distinctive spiritual, material and economic relationships with land, water and other resources that there is a connection with under traditional laws and customs.

Other human rights enshrined in the Act include surround:

• education
• health services
• criminal proceedings (including for children)
• protection of families and children.

The Queensland Human Rights Commission will continue to be responsible for administering the Anti-Discrimination Act 1991, which covers areas such as:

• race
• age
• relationship status
• family responsibilities
• sexuality.

Read more about the protection of cultural rights of Queensland’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.