Australian Capital Territory Current Acts

HUMAN RIGHTS ACT 2004 - NOTES

Dictionary

(see s 3)

Note 1     The Legislation Act

contains definitions and other provisions relevant to this Act.

Note 2     For example, the Legislation Act

, dict, pt 1, defines the following terms:

              •     Act (see s 7)

              •     emergency service

              •     entity

              •     foreign country

              •     individual

              •     may (see s 146)

              •     Minister (see s 162)

              •     proceeding

              •     public employee

              •     public service

              •     statutory instrument (see s 13).

"act", for part 5A (Obligations of public authorities), includes fail to act and propose to act.

"commission" means the human rights commission.

"conduct" includes omission.

"court" includes the following:

        (a)     the ACAT;

        (b)     an entity prescribed by regulation.

"declaration of incompatibility"—see section 32.

"engage "in conduct means—

        (a)     do an act; or

        (b)     omit to do an act.

"function of a public nature"—see section 40A.

"human rights"—see section 5.

"ICCPR" means the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

"ICESCR" means the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

"international law" includes—

        (a)     the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and other human rights treaties to which Australia is a party; and

        (b)     general comments and views of the United Nations human rights treaty monitoring bodies; and

        (c)     declarations and standards adopted by the United Nations General Assembly that are relevant to human rights.

"public authority"—see section 40.

"Territory law" means an Act or statutory instrument.

Endnotes

1     About the endnotes

Amending and modifying laws are annotated in the legislation history and the amendment history. Current modifications are not included in the republished law but are set out in the endnotes.

Not all editorial amendments made under the Legislation Act 2001

, part 11.3 are annotated in the amendment history. Full details of any amendments can be obtained from the Parliamentary Counsel's Office.

Uncommenced amending laws are not included in the republished law. The details of these laws are underlined in the legislation history. Uncommenced expiries are underlined in the legislation history and amendment history.

If all the provisions of the law have been renumbered, a table of renumbered provisions gives details of previous and current numbering.

The endnotes also include a table of earlier republications.

2     Abbreviation key

A = Act	NI = Notifiable instrument
AF = Approved form	o = order
am = amended	om = omitted/repealed
amdt = amendment	ord = ordinance
AR = Assembly resolution	orig = original
ch = chapter	par = paragraph/subparagraph
CN = Commencement notice	pres = present
def = definition	prev = previous
DI = Disallowable instrument	(prev...) = previously
dict = dictionary	pt = part
disallowed = disallowed by the Legislative	r = rule/subrule
Assembly	reloc = relocated
div = division	renum = renumbered
exp = expires/expired	R[X] = Republication No
Gaz = gazette	RI = reissue
hdg = heading	s = section/subsection
IA = Interpretation Act 1967	sch = schedule
ins = inserted/added	sdiv = subdivision
LA = Legislation Act 2001	SL = Subordinate law
LR = legislation register	sub = substituted
LRA = Legislation (Republication) Act 1996	underlining = whole or part not commenced
mod = modified/modification	or to be expired

3     Legislation history

Human Rights Act 2004 A2004-5

notified LR 10 March 2004

s 1, s 2 commenced 10 March 2004 (LA s 75 (1))

remainder commenced 1 July 2004 (s 2)

as amended by

Human Rights Commission Legislation Amendment Act 2005

A2005-41 sch 1 pt 1.7 (as am by A2006-3

amdt 1.3)

notified LR 1 September 2005

s 1, s 2 commenced 1 September 2005 (LA s 75 (1))

sch 1 pt 1.7 commenced 1 November 2006 (s 2 (3) (as am by A2006-3

amdt 1.3) and see Human Rights Commission Act 2005

A2005-40, s 2 (as am by A2006-3

s 4) and CN2006-21

)

Human Rights Commission Legislation Amendment Act 2006

A2006-3 amdt 1.3

notified LR 22 February 2006

s 1, s 2 commenced 22 February 2006 (LA s 75 (1))

amdt 1.3 commenced 23 February 2006 (s 2)

Note     This Act only amends the Human Rights Commission Legislation Amendment Act 2005

A2005-41

Human Rights Amendment Act 2008

A2008-3

notified LR 17 March 2008

s 1, s 2 commenced 17 March 2008 (LA s 75 (1))

ss 7-9 commenced 1 January 2009 (s 2 (1))

remainder commenced 18 March 2008 (s 2 (2))

ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal Legislation Amendment Act 2008

A2008-36 sch 1 pt 1.30

notified LR 4 September 2008

s 1, s 2 commenced 4 September 2008 (LA s 75 (1))

sch 1 pt 1.30 commenced 2 February 2009 (s 2 (1) and see ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2008

A2008-35, s 2 (1) and CN2009-2

)

Human Rights Amendment Act 2012

A2012-41

notified LR 29 August 2012

s 1, s 2 commenced 29 August 2012 (LA s 75 (1)

remainder commenced 1 January 2013 (s 2)

Human Rights Amendment Act 2016

A2016-5

notified LR 25 February 2016

s 1, s 2 commenced 25 February 2016 (LA s 75 (1))

remainder commenced 26 February 2016 (s 2)

Public Sector Management Amendment Act 2016

A2016-52 sch 1 pt 1.36

notified LR 25 August 2016

s 1, s 2 commenced 25 August 2016 (LA s 75 (1))

sch 1 pt 1.36 commenced 1 September 2016 (s 2)

Justice and Community Safety Legislation Amendment Act 2017

A2017-5 sch 1 pt 1.4

notified LR 23 February 2017

s 1, s 2 commenced 23 February 2017 (LA s 75 (1))

sch 1 pt 1.4 commenced 2 March 2017 (s 2 (3))

Human Rights (Workers Rights) Amendment Act 2020

A2020-13

notified LR 13 May 2020

s 1, s 2 commenced 13 May 2020 (LA s 75 (1))

remainder commenced 14 May 2020 (s 2)

Legislation (Legislative Assembly Committees) Amendment Act 2022

A2022-4 sch 1 pt 1.12

notified LR 30 March 2022

s 1, s 2 commenced 30 March 2022 (LA s 75 (1))

sch 1 pt 1.12 commenced 6 April 2022 (s 2)

Human Rights (Complaints) Legislation Amendment Act 2023

A2023-53 pt 2, sch 1

notified LR 11 December 2023

s 1, s 2 commenced 11 December 2023 (LA s 75 (1))

ss 4-7, s 9, sch 1 commenced 12 December 2023 (s 2 (1))

pt 2 remainder awaiting commencement

4     Amendment history

Preamble
preamble     am A2016-5

s 4

Commencement
s 2     om LA s 89 (4)

What are human rights?
s 5     sub A2012-41

s 4

Rights apart from Act
s 7     ins A2012-41

s 5

Recognition and equality before the law
s 8     am A2023-53

amdt 1.1

Protection from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment etc
s 10     am A2023-53

amdt 1.1

Protection of the family and children
s 11     am A2016-5

s 5

Privacy and reputation
s 12     am A2023-53

amdt 1.1

Freedom of movement
s 13     am A2023-53

amdt 1.1

Freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief
s 14     am A2023-53

amdt 1.1

Freedom of expression
s 16     am A2023-53

amdt 1.2

Right to liberty and security of person
s 18     am A2023-53

amdt 1.2, amdt 1.3

Rights in criminal proceedings
s 22     am A2023-53

amdt 1.4

Compensation for wrongful conviction
s 23     am A2023-53

amdt 1.5

Right not to be tried or punished more than once
s 24     am A2023-53

amdt 1.6

Retrospective criminal laws
s 25     am A2023-53

amdt 1.7

Cultural and other rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other minorities
s 27 hdg     sub A2016-5

s 6
s 27     am A2016-5

s 7; A2023-53

amdt 1.8

Economic, social and cultural rights
pt 3A hdg     ins A2012-41

s 6

Right to education
s 27A     ins A2012-41

s 6
    am A2023-53

amdt 1.8

Right to work and other work-related rights
s 27B     ins A2020-13

s 4

Limits on human rights
pt 3B hdg     ins A2012-41

s 6

Human rights may be limited
s 28     am A2008-3

s 4; A2012-41

s 7

Interpretation of laws and human rights
s 30     sub A2008-3

s 5

Notice to Attorney-General and commission
s 34 hdg     sub A2005-41

amdt 1.101
s 34     am A2005-41

amdts 1.102-1.104
    sub A2008-3

s 6
    am A2023-53

s 4, s 5

Consideration of legislation by relevant Assembly committee
s 38 hdg     sub A2023-53

s 6
s 38     sub A2022-4

amdt 1.41
    am A2023-53

s 7

Obligations of public authorities
pt 5A hdg     ins A2008-3

s 7

Meaning of public authority
s 40     om A2005-41

amdt 1.105
    ins A2008-3

s 7

Meaning of function of a public nature
s 40A     ins A2008-3

s 7

Public authorities must act consistently with human rights
s 40B     ins A2008-3

s 7; A2012-41

s 8
    am A2016-5

s 8

Legal proceedings in relation to public authority actions
s 40C     ins A2008-3

s 7
    am A2023-53

s 9; ss renum R15 LA

Other entities may choose to be subject to obligations of public authorities
s 40D     ins A2008-3

s 7

Miscellaneous
pt 6 hdg     orig pt 6 hdg om A2005-41

amdt 1.105
    (prev pt 7 hdg) renum A2005-41

amdt 1.107

Miscellaneous
pt 7 hdg     renum as pt 6 hdg

Review of effect of territory laws on human rights
s 41     om A2005-41

amdt 1.105
    ins A2005-41

amdt 1.106
    am A2017-5

amdt 1.9, amdt 1.10

Review of economic, social and cultural rights
s 43     exp 1 January 2007 (s 43 (3))
    ins A2012-41

s 9
    exp 1 January 2016 (s 43 (3))

Review of Act
s 44     exp 1 January 2010 (s 44 (2))

Legislation amended—sch 2
s 45     om LA s 89 (3)

ICCPR source of human rights
sch 1     am A2016-5

s 9

ICESCR source of human rights
sch 2     om LA s 89 (3)
    ins A2012-41

s 10
    am A2020-13

s 5

Dictionary
dict     am A2008-3

s 8; A2016-52

amdt 1.102; A2017-5

amdt 1.11
    def act ins A2008-3

s 9
    def commission ins A2005-41

amdt 1.108
    def court sub A2008-36

amdt 1.351
    def ICESCR ins A2012-41

s 11
    def function of a public nature ins A2008-3

s 9
    def human rights commissioner om A2005-41

amdt 1.109
    def public authority ins A2008-3

s 9

5     Earlier republications

Some earlier republications were not numbered. The number in column 1 refers to the publication order.

Since 12 September 2001 every authorised republication has been published in electronic pdf format on the ACT legislation register. A selection of authorised republications have also been published in printed format. These republications are marked with an asterisk (*) in column 1. Electronic and printed versions of an authorised republication are identical.

Republication No and date	Effective	Last amendment made by	Republication for
R1 1 July 2004	1 July 2004– 31 October 2006	not amended	new Act
R2 1 Nov 2006	1 Nov 2006– 1 Jan 2007	A2006-3

amendments by A2005-41

as amended by A2006-3

R3
2 Jan 2007

2 Jan 2007–
17 Mar 2008

A2006-3

commenced expiry

R4
18 Mar 2008

18 Mar 2008–
31 Dec 2008

A2008-3

amendments by A2008-3

R5
1 Jan 2009

1 Jan 2009–
1 Feb 2009

A2008-36

amendments by A2008-3

R6
2 Feb 2009

2 Feb 2009–
1 Jan 2010

A2008-36

amendments by A2008-36

R7*
2 Jan 2010

2 Jan 2010–
31 Dec 2012

A2008-36

commenced expiry

R8*
1 Jan 2013

1 Jan 2013–
1 Jan 2016

A2012-41

amendments by A2012-41

R9
2 Jan 2016

2 Jan 2016–
25 Feb 2016

A2012-41

expiry of provision (s 43)

R10
26 Feb 2016

26 Feb 2016–
31 Aug 2016

A2016-5

amendments by A2016-5

R11
1 Sept 2016

1 Sept 2016–
1 Mar 2017

A2016-52

amendments by A2016-52

R12
2 Mar 2017

2 Mar 2017–
13 May 2020

A2017-5

amendments by A2017-5

R13
14 May 2020

14 May 2020–
5 Apr 2022

A2020-13

amendments by A2020-13

R14
6 Apr 2022

6 Apr 2022–
11 Dec 2023

A2022-4

amendments by A2022-4

© Australian Capital Territory 2023

Australian Capital Territory

A2004-5

Republication No 15

Effective: 12 December 2023

Republication date: 12 December 2023

Last amendment made by A2023-53

This is a republication of the Human Rights Act 2004

(including any amendment made under the Legislation Act 2001

, part 11.3 (Editorial changes)) as in force on 12 December 2023

. It also includes any commencement, amendment, repeal or expiry affecting this republished law to 12 December 2023

.

The legislation history and amendment history of the republished law are set out in endnotes 3 and 4.

Kinds of republications

The Parliamentary Counsel's Office prepares 2 kinds of republications of ACT laws (see the ACT legislation register at www.legislation.act.gov.au

):

              • authorised republications to which the Legislation Act 2001

applies

              • unauthorised republications.

The status of this republication appears on the bottom of each page.

Editorial changes

The Legislation Act 2001

, part 11.3 authorises the Parliamentary Counsel to make editorial amendments and other changes of a formal nature when preparing a law for republication. Editorial changes do not change the effect of the law, but have effect as if they had been made by an Act commencing on the republication date (see Legislation Act 2001

, s 115 and s 117). The changes are made if the Parliamentary Counsel considers they are desirable to bring the law into line, or more closely into line, with current legislative drafting practice.

This republication includes amendments made under part 11.3 (see endnote 1).

Uncommenced provisions and amendments

If a provision of the republished law has not commenced, the symbol  U  appears immediately before the provision heading. Any uncommenced amendments that affect this republished law are accessible on the ACT legislation register (www.legislation.act.gov.au

). For more information, see the home page for this law on the register.

Modifications

If a provision of the republished law is affected by a current modification, the symbol  M  appears immediately before the provision heading. The text of the modifying provision appears in the endnotes. For the legal status of modifications, see the Legislation Act 2001

, section 95.

Penalties

At the republication date, the value of a penalty unit for an offence against this law is $160 for an individual and $810 for a corporation (see Legislation Act 2001

, s 133).

Australian Capital Territory

Human Rights Act 2004

Endnotes34

Australian Capital Territory

Human Rights Act 2004