Continuing to press for a national Human Rights Act that would enshrine protections for the basic rights everyone in Australia deserves is a key element of the St Vincent de Paul Society National Council’s advocacy priorities.

Representatives of the Society’s National Council joined Human Rights Law Centre (HRLC) and Amnesty International for a series of meetings with federal parliamentarians at Australian Parliament House from 3 to 5 February.

Meetings were held with Senators Charlotte Walker and Tony Sheldon (Labor), David Shoebridge (Greens), and Lidia Thorpe (Ind), MPs Dr Mike Freelander and Rowan Holzberger (Labor), Dr Helen Haines and Andrew Wilkie (Ind), and advisors to Sarrah Witty MP and Senator Lisa Darmanin (Labor).

The Society is part of a coalition of more than 130 not-for-profit organisations and legal experts calling on the Australian Parliament to legislate a national Human Rights Act. Such an Act would:

• protect fundamental rights including housing, healthcare, education and economic security that are essential to people thriving
• hold government accountable by ensuring human rights are considered in all laws, decisions and services
• empower people to challenge injustices when their rights are violated
• foster a rights-respecting culture built on the values of fairness, respect, dignity and compassion.

In a media statement marking UN Human Rights Day on 10 December 2025, the Society’s National President, Mark Gaetani, reminded Australians that housing, health and education are everyday essentials, not aspirations, and should be protected by law.

“We know from communities we serve every day that many people’s human rights are at risk, especially the almost 4 million people living in poverty in Australia today,” he said.

“When families can’t afford rent, when children miss school because they’re hungry, or people avoid seeking medical treatment because they’re afraid of costs, we are failing as a community to protect people’s fundamental human rights.”

The Society believes this is not a partisan issue. “It is about building a fairer Australia where the promise of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted nearly 80 years ago, becomes a reality for all who live here,” Mr Gaetani said.

“Human rights are positive; they bring safety, joy, dignity and hope. Now is the time to enshrine them in Australian law and to create a Human Rights Act that protects our everyday essentials and holds the government to account.”

For more information about the Society’s position, visit Australia's Human Rights Framework.