Australia likes to see itself as a fair country, but the people who come to the St Vincent de Paul Society tell a different story. We meet families choosing between rent and food, people putting off going to the doctor because they can’t afford it, and children missing school because there is no money for basics. 

Right now, there is nothing at the national level that guarantees essentials, such as access to secure housing, food, education and medical treatment, as basic rights. That is why the Society supports a national Human Rights Act; a law that clearly sets out the rights everyone in Australia should have and requires governments and public organisations to respect them. 

Unlike many similar countries, Australia does not have a national Human Rights Act. There have been policy frameworks and action plans over the years, but they have not given people clear, enforceable protections. 

The Society’s submission on Australia’s Human Rights Framework points out that, without a strong law, rights like housing, healthcare, education and social security are too easy to overlook when budgets are tight or the political landscape changes. When that happens, it is the people already doing it tough who are most adversely affected. 

Members of the National Council Secretariat’s Advocacy team recently heard this reinforced at the National Press Club, where President of the Australian Human Rights Commission, Hugh de Kretser, set out a stark assessment of our current human rights record and called for stronger protections. That national picture closely matches what our Members and volunteers see in local communities every day. 

For the people we help, a Human Rights Act could make a practical difference. It would mean that public authorities have to consider human rights when they make decisions about housing, health, income support and other services. 

If a decision leaves someone without safe housing or unable to afford essential healthcare, we would have clearer grounds to question that decision and ask for it to be reviewed. Over time, this can shift systems so that problems are prevented earlier; for example, by investing in social housing, fair income support and accessible services because they are recognised as obligations, not optional extras. 

For our Members, volunteers and employees, it would also give another tool in advocacy; a way to link the stories of hardship we hear from our Companions to recognised rights in law. 

The Society’s work is grounded in the dignity of each person and a commitment to a more just and compassionate Australia. A Human Rights Act would sit well alongside that mission. It would give us a clearer framework to guide our advocacy on issues like poverty, housing, secure work, and the treatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and refugees. 

At the same time, we have argued that any Act must respect the identity and mission of organisations, including faith‑based charities. That means getting the balance right between individual rights and the freedom of organisations to act in line with their core values, while always upholding the dignity of the people they serve. 

In the end, the Society’s support for a Human Rights Act comes back to what we see every day. No one’s access to housing, healthcare, education or a basic income should depend on luck. While a national Act would not fix everything, it would be a concrete step towards a fairer Australia for the people we walk alongside. 

To read the Society’s submission to the Inquiry into Australia’s Human Rights Framework, visit Australia's Human Rights Framework | Vinnies.