Charter of Rights for Australia

Australia is the only democratic country in the world that does not have a national charter or bill that protects basic human rights. Many countries have a constitutional bill of rights; many others have legislated to create charters of rights. Australia is the odd country out. In this fully updated edition of his influential book, ""The Case for an Australian Bill of Rights"", lawyer and commentator George Williams argues that the Australian parliament should create a charter of rights drawing on the successful examples of New Zealand and the United Kingdom. He shows how the case for reform has grown stronger in recent years, and how the momentum for change has accelerated with the creation of charters of rights in the Australian Capital Territory and Victoria. Professor Williams played a key role in the development of the Victorian charter, and describes how the process that led to the innovative ACT and Victorian legislation can be used to create a federal charter.