Human rights

Part of the Rights topic

What you should know

Human rights are the basic rights and freedoms that belong to every person, regardless of their race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language or any other characteristic.

The Human Rights Act 2019 (the Act) protects the fundamental rights of everyone in Queensland and is drawn from international human rights law.

The main objects of the Act are to:

• protect and promote human rights
• help build a culture in the Queensland public sector that respects and promotes human rights
• help promote a dialogue about the nature, meaning and scope of human rights.

The human rights protected under the Act are not absolute. This means they must be balanced against the rights of others and public policies.

To learn more about the rights in the Act visit the Queensland Human Rights Commission (QHRC).

Rights of Queenslanders

In Queensland, the Act protects the following fundamental human rights, drawn from international human rights law:

• Cultural rights—Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples (section 28)
• Cultural rights—generally (section 27)
• Property rights (section 24)
• Retrospective criminal laws (section 35)
• Rights in criminal proceedings (section 32)
• Right not to be tried or punished more than once (section 34)
• Rights of children in the criminal process (section 33)
• Right to education (section 36)
• Right to health services (section 37)
• Your right to a fair hearing (section 31)
• Your right to freedom from forced work (section 18)
• Your right to freedom of expression (section 21)
• Your right to freedom of movement (section 19)
• Your right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief (section 20)
• Your right to humane treatment when deprived of liberty (section 30)
• Your right to liberty and security of person (section 29)
• Your right to life (section 16)
• Your right to peaceful assembly and freedom of association (section 22)
• Your right to privacy and reputation (section 25)
• Your right to protection from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment (section 17)
• Your right to protection of families and children (section 26)
• Your right to taking part in public life (section 23).

These rights are recognised in international human rights treaties including the:

• Universal Declaration of Human Rights
• International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
• International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.