People in the ACT need to have an accessible complaints mechanism under the territory's human rights legislation, a move that would mean the territory again led the way on rights law, the Human Rights Law Centre has said.
In a submission to a Legislative Assembly inquiry into the Human Rights Act and its complaint powers, the centre said the territory's once nation-leading laws needed to be updated.
The inquiry was prompted by an Assembly petition calling for an overhaul to the complaints mechanism, which currently prevents the Supreme Court from awarding compensation if complaints are upheld.
The petition said the law should allow complaints about any breach of the Human Rights Act to be made to the Human Rights Commission for confidential conciliation.
If that process is unsuccessful, the complaint should be allowed to progress to the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal for resolution.
The petition, brought by lawyer Sophie Trevitt and sponsored by Labor backbencher Dr Marisa Paterson, attracted 518 signatures.
The Human Rights Law Centre's executive director, Hugh de Kretser, said rights must have remedies, and people needed a simple and easy way to protect their rights under the laws.
"Reforming the Human Rights Act in this way will help to ensure that equality and fairness are at the heart of the ACT government's decisions. A new and improved Human Rights Act can once again position the ACT as a leader in protecting human rights," Mr de Kretser said.
The ACT Council of Social Service on Friday joined a coalition of community organisations, which included Australian Lawyers for Human Rights and Civil Liberties Australia, to call for changes to the act.
The inquiry will hold a public hearing on April 28.
