“The SCA continues to note that the AHRC Act does not include explicit references to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) or the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).

The SCA acknowledges that the AHRC interprets its mandate to encompass all human rights. The Paris Principles require that an NHRI must be legislatively mandated for both the promotion and protection of all human rights. The SCA welcomes the AHRC’s ongoing advocacy for the inclusion of a broad definition of human rights in the AHRC Act.

An NHRI’s mandate should be interpreted in a broad, liberal, and purposive manner to promote a progressive definition of human rights, which includes all rights set out in international, regional, and domestic instruments, including economic, social, and cultural rights.

The SCA encourages the AHRC to continue broadly interpreting its mandate and advocating for amendment within the AHRC Act to include all core human rights treaties ratified by Australia.”