Time to expand the ACT Human Rights Act 2004? Report of the Australian Capital Territory Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Research Project

Abstract

The recent focus on economic, social and cultural rights suggests a new maturity in the debate about rights in Australia. In 2010, the report of the Australian Capital Territory Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Research Project proposed that justiciable economic, social and cultural rights be given the same importance in the ACT�s Human Rights Act 2004 as civil and political rights. This article discusses the ACT report�s contribution to the development of a normative framework for protecting economic, social and cultural rights in Australia. The article concludes that while the report achieves some important goals, it misses other opportunities to move the rights debate forward. Overall, the report raises more questions than it answers.