Since 2007 in Australia we've had five prime ministers (and for a brief moment there last Saturday night, it looked like we might have had six). In this almost decade of tumultuous leadership, Australia has been sorely lacking a stable vision for protecting and defending human rights.
Equality, a fair go, respect, opportunity – these were buzzwords thrown about during the last eight weeks of the election campaign.
With Malcolm Turnbull returned to the top job, now is his moment to set a human rights agenda, and to reignite the fire in Australia's bid for a 2018 seat on the UN Human Rights Council.
Australia’s First Peoples barely rated a mention in the election campaign, despite Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s rights being at their lowest ebb in years.
Indigenous programs have been crippled or cut altogether under the much-maligned Indigenous Advancement Strategy. Aboriginal Legal Services and Family Violence Prevention and Legal Services have faced funding cuts and uncertainty, despite Indigenous children being 24 times more likely to be in detention than non-Indigenous children, and Indigenous women 34 times more likely to be victims of violence.
Prime Minister Turnbull has the chance to refocus on these issues, and to reset the Government’s relationship with Indigenous leaders. A first step would be to meet with the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples, the elected body representing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and commit to ending the over-representation of Indigenous people in the criminal justice system, within a generation.
The finely balanced parliament presents an opportunity for MPs to take bipartisan stances on critical issues. The 45th parliament can create history and legislate to make marriage equality a reality, without resorting to a plebiscite.
I personally am deeply worried about the impact a plebiscite campaign would have on LGBTQI people. While Amnesty will strongly encourage Australians to say ‘yes’ to marriage equality, I’d much prefer the 45th parliament just got on with it’s job of legislating to remove discrimination from Australian law.
This would put us in good company with the UK, New Zealand, Ireland, Canada, France, Spain, Brazil, South Africa and a dozen other countries that have removed this blatant discrimination against same-sex couples.
In this term, our government has the opportunity to play a leadership role in human rights and commit to sharing global responsibility for people uprooted by war and persecution at September's UN Refugee Summit hosted by Ban Ki Moon and Barack Obama. But to be taken seriously we need to ensure Australia treats people seeking asylum with dignity. The Government urgently needs to end offshore processing, mandatory detention and boat turnbacks at sea, and increase the annual refugee resettlement intake to at least 30,000 people per year.
And all sides of parliament can unite to take a lead role in the worldwide campaign against the death penalty.
Australia has been on the front foot in championing a world without State-sanctioned executions, but we can do more.
Australia can be a stronger advocate in the campaign to end the death penalty worldwide by being consistent and principled in its absolute opposition to the death penalty in all cases, no matter the crime alleged, anywhere in the world.
As Australia continues its campaign for a seat on the UN Human Rights Council in 2018, Prime Minister Turnbull must not sit on his hands in terms of human rights.
Equality, justice, dignity and a fair for go all - these are values that all Australians believe in, no matter who they vote for. By adopting a human rights approach, Prime Minister Turnbull has an opportunity to make a real difference in people's’ lives right across Australia and, through a seat on the Human Rights Council, help make the world a fairer, safer place.
Claire Mallinson is the National Director of Amnesty International Australia. She has 32 years of experience in rights-based work and the not-for-profit sector, including with Greenpeace, Cancer Research UK and at UK disability organisation Scope.
