The right to a healthy environment in Australia

Authors

  • Revel Pointon
  • Justine Bell-James

Abstract

While Australia does not have human rights enshrined in our Constitution, and only limited reflection through other federal laws, various states have introduced legislation that seeks to recognise and protect human rights. As the dialogue around legal protection of human rights in Australia grows, where does the right to a healthy environment sit in this discussion? The right to a healthy environment has been integrated into over 150 legal frameworks around the world; Australia remains one of only 15 countries without the right to a healthy environment enshrined in our federal laws or constitution. This article reviews how the right has been both characterized and put into practice overseas, with a view to determining how Australian jurisdictions could benefit from this right being legislated

References

Reference List

A Articles/Books/Reports

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Australian Conservation Foundation, World Wildlife Fund, The Wilderness Society and The University of Queensland, Fast-tracking Extinction: Australia's National Environmental Law (Report, 2018)

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Brett Young, Michael, From Commitment to Culture: The 2015 Review of the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 (Review, 2015)

Chakaraborty, Jayajit and Donna Green, ‘Australia’s First National Level Quantitative Environmental Justice Assessment of Industrial Air Pollution’ (2014) 9(4) Environmental Research Letters 1

Collins, Lynda and David Boyd, ‘Non-Regression and the Charter Right to a Healthy Environment’ (2016) 29(1) Journal of Environmental Law and Practice 285

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B Cases

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C Legislation

Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 (Vic)

Human Rights Act 2004 (ACT)

Human Rights Act 2018 (Qld)

National Environment Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measure 2015 (Cth)

D Treaties

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E Other

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Published

31.12.2019

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