Rights protected in the ACT Human Rights Act
The human rights listed below are protected by the ACT Human Rights Act. This means
- that all ACT government agencies and anyone doing government work must consider your human rights before making a decision that affects you or your family
- ACT government agencies and their contractors must act consistently with human rights.
Rights protected by the ACT Human Rights Act 2004 include:
- Freedom of movement (s 13)
- Freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief (s 14)
- Peaceful assembly and freedom of association (s 15)
- Freedom of expression (s 16)
- Freedom from forced work (s 26)
- Rights to recognition, equality and non-discrimination (s 8)
- Right to life (s 9)
- Protection from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (s 10(1))
- Protection from experimentation and treatment without consent (s 10(2)) (This information is being updated.)
- Protection of the family (s 11(1))
- Privacy and reputation (s 12)
- Taking part in public life (s 17)
- Liberty and security of person (s 18) (This information is being updated.)
- Treatment of people who are deprived of their liberty (s 19)
- Minorities (s 27(1)) (This information is being updated.)
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (s 27(2))
- Children generally (s 11(2))
- Children in the criminal process (s 20)
- Fair and public hearing (s 21)
- Rights in criminal proceedings (s 22)
- Compensation for wrongful conviction (s 23) (This information is being updated.)
- Not to be tried or punished more than once (s 24)
- Retrospective criminal laws (s 25)
- Education (s 27A)
- Right to work and other work-related rights (s 27B)
- Right to a healthy environment (s 27C)
- Right to adequate housing (27D)
Information about rights protected by other laws in the ACT can also be found at: