Media Release: Albanese Government lectures others on human rights but does nothing new at home

Media Release: Albanese Government lectures others on human rights but does nothing new at home | Australian Greens Skip to main content Search Get Involved Join Donate Our plan Tax the 1% Tackle the cost of living Healthcare for all Fix the housing crisis Strong climate action Policy principles & aims Our team Federal MPs State/territory MPs Officeholders Media releases Take action Volunteer Donate Issues & campaigns Events Greens Shop Leave a bequest Our movement About the Greens Become a member Jobs Green Magazine All news Get Involved Join Donate Search Our plan Toggle Tax the 1% Tackle the cost of living Healthcare for all Fix the housing crisis Strong climate action Policy principles & aims Our team Toggle Federal MPs State/territory MPs Officeholders Media releases Take action Toggle Volunteer Donate Issues & campaigns Events Greens Shop Leave a bequest Our movement Toggle About the Greens Become a member Jobs Green Magazine All news Media Release: Albanese Government lectures others on human rights but does nothing new at home 2026-07-01 The Albanese Government has rejected 204 of the 332 recommendations made in this year’s UN Universal Periodic Review, including calls to raise the age of criminal responsibility, legislate a Human Rights Act and end mandatory and offshore immigration detention.

Labor’s rejections come despite warnings from over 120 countries and the UN’s own findings of systemic racial discrimination against First Nations children in Australia’s justice system. Labor has used the review to confirm in writing what it has shown in practice for four years: human rights protections in this country remain optional for the Albanese government that is too politically gutless to legislate to protect human rights.

Lines attributable to Greens Justice and Immigration spokesperson Senator David Shoebridge: “Labor has been handed a roadmap to fix this country’s worst human rights failures and they set fire to it, rejecting 204 of the 332 recommendations on offer. “Australia has spent years lecturing other countries on human rights and now it has just shown the world how little it’s prepared to do at home.

“Children as young as ten are still being arrested and locked up in this country, and Labor just told the world it sees no problem with that. This is their plan. “The UN has already found our justice system delivers systemic racial discrimination against First Nations kids, and the Albanese Government’s response has been to double down on not fixing this.

“From a Government who continues to pay lip service to Closing the Gap and the Statement from the Heart it’s worse than disappointing. “Refusing to raise the age of criminal responsibility is a choice to keep funding prisons instead of the community programs that actually keep kids safe. “Non-refoulement of refugees is meant to be a baseline commitment, not a negotiable one, and Labor has rejected it outright.

“Mandatory and offshore detention should have ended years ago, and this government just confirmed it has no intention of stopping either in their endless quest to outflank One Nation. “LGBTIQA+ Australians are still living with legal exemptions that allow discrimination, and Labor have said with this response that they are ok with that. Thankfully the Greens introduced a bill for a LGBTQIA+ Commissioner this week that is a chance to go some way to addressing this issue.

“Reading the response you see a government who will accept a recommendation that costs them nothing and reject every one that requires spending political capital to achieve real change. “This Government has the numbers to legislate a Human Rights Act tomorrow and refuses to, that’s not a lack of options, it’s a lack of courage and principle. Facebook for the Australian Greens YouTube for the Australian Greens X for the Australian Greens Instagram for the Australian Greens Bluesky for the Australian Greens Privacy Members website Your safety Contact us Our plan Tax the 1% Tackle the cost of living Healthcare for all Fix the housing crisis Strong climate action In your language 2025 policy platform Policy principles & aims Our team Federal MPs State/territory MPs Officeholders Federal portfolios Federal media releases Take action Volunteer Donate Issues & campaigns Upcoming events Greens Shop Leave a bequest Green Magazine All news Our movement About the Greens Become a member Jobs Members website State/territory parties Contact us The Greens acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture.

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