The following presentation is by the President of the Australian Human Rights Commission, Catherine Branson QC.
The presentation was delivered by the President as second speaker for the affirmative team in the Great Debate - Does Australia need a charter of human rights, held as part of the National Human Rights Consultation Public Hearings in Canberra on Thursday, 2 July 2009.
President Branson's fellow team mates included Ms Lisa Baker MLA, and Mr Ed Santow (Director, Gilbert and Tobin Centre of Public Law).
The team for the negative included Professor Greg Craven (Australian Catholic University), Professor Adrienne Stone (University of Melbourne) and Professor Helen Irving (University of Sydney).
The full debate can be viewed by following the links at www.humanrightsconsultation.go... and clicking on the relevant section.