Australia

Monthly Event Reports GSOD Indices

Australia is a high-performing democracy, performing well above the world averages across the Global State of Democracy Indices (GSoDI). Over the past five years, however, GSoDI data show significant declines in Media Integrity, which are likely due to fragmented media ownership regulations. While remaining well above the global average in Absence of Corruption, Australia is yet to regain its standing following declines observed beginning in 2013, which revealed weak regulatory structures in combatting foreign bribery and public sector corruption. Over the years, Australian immigration policies, marked by multiculturalism as a nation-building project, have contributed to the development of a culturally diverse and economically prosperous society. Australia boasts the world’s twelfth largest economy, based in mining, financial services and health and education. The country remains one of the largest development partners in the Pacific.

Before the arrival of European settlers in the 1600s, the continent had been solely inhabited by Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders (‘First Nations peoples’) for tens of thousands of years. British colonization began in 1788 through established settler colonies, and Australia transitioned into a federation of six states in the early 20th century. After a period of restrictive immigration policies for the first half of the twentieth century, exemplified by the Immigration Restriction Act and the 'White Australia Policy', the post-WWII era saw a turn toward an embrace of multiculturalism. Immigration policy continues to be at the forefront of policymaking, and the continent now has one of the largest immigrant populations in the world. In recent years, an offshore processing system, part of the broader border security programme, has been criticized for its use of indefinite and arbitrary detention. Australia is both economically intertwined with and engaged in regional competition with China, a tension that has consequences for Australia’s economy, and its large ethnic Chinese population.

First Nations peoples have suffered significant oppression and discrimination throughout Australian history, and a campaign for adequate constitutional recognition of their rights and history has been ongoing for decades. There is an over-representation of First Nations peoples, and especially youth, in the criminal justice system while they are underrepresented in politics.

Australia’s universal healthcare system, ‘Medicare’, has been criticized for unequal access, especially for minorities and rural Australians. The country’s main political parties have fundamentally different policy approaches to addressing this inequity and on other issuesimpacting the elderly, childcare, education, housing and climate change. While the 2022 ‘climate election’ promised firm climate action, state environment and climate policy has in the past been hampered by Australia’s powerful coal mining industry.

Fundamental Rights, and specifically Social Rights and Equality, will be important to watch, given the revitalized interest in constitutional recognition of First Nations peoples. Australia’s contributions and vulnerability to climate change mean it will have to integrate comprehensive and realistic climate policies into government mandates, with failure to do so putting countervailing pressure on Social Rights and Equality. Media Integrity will also need to be watched in light of the high concentration of media ownership in a sector dominated by News Corp. Lastly, corruption remains an area to watch over the next several years; there have been positive steps taken to establish a federal anti-corruption commission, and it will be critical to monitor developments with regard to the regulation of lobbying.

October 2023 | Indigenous Voice referendum fails

On 14 October, Australian voters decisively rejected a proposal (via referendum) to recognise Indigenous people in the constitution and to establish a First Nations voice in parliament. Voter turnout was at 89.95 per cent. The outcome maintains the status quo for representation of Indigenous communities and has been described by experts as a significant setback for Indigenous rights in the nation. Indigenous leaders noted that the defeat challenges ongoing reconciliation efforts, potentially leading to more confrontational discussions over Indigenous relations and issues concerning Indigenous rights. The referendum campaign encountered numerous challenges, including a lack of bipartisan support, misinformation, and a lack of detail about implementation of the Voice. In response to the defeat, Indigenous leaders called for a "week of silence" in mourning, while Prime Minister Anthony Albanese affirmed the commitment to continuing the path toward reconciliation.

Referendum Indigenous Rights

August 2023 | First Australian state to outlaw Nazi salute

Following neo-Nazi protests earlier this year, Tasmania became the first Australian state to pass a law on 16 August to outlaw the display or performance of Nazi salutes and symbols. This legislation, set to take effect later this year, imposes hefty fines and up to a three-month prison term for first-time offenders. Minister of Justice Elise Archer acknowledges that such symbols and gestures "promote hate against not just Jewish people but also other minority groups." The bill includes exceptions to protect the swastika's use for religious and educational purposes unrelated to Nazi ideology. Simultaneously, Victoria, which banned the Nazi symbol last year, is progressing with a salute ban. Leading Jewish organizations have hailed Tasmania's move, hoping it encourages the federal government (currently considering a proposal to ban a few specific symbols nationwide) to follow suit.

Hate Crime

June 2023 | National referendum for Indigenous Voice to the parliament moves ahead

On 19 June, Australia’s Senate approved legislation to hold a referendum on indigenous rights, clearing the last procedural obstacle toward a public vote that would acknowledge the indigenous population in the constitution and enhance their representation in parliament. The date for the referendum is yet to be set, however the legislation mandates that it is held no sooner than two months as well as no later than six months from 19 June . The Indigenous Voice to the Parliament, also known as the Voice, is a proposed federal advisory body that will be made up of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, chosen by Indigenous communities.

Referendum Indigenous Rights

May 2023 | South Australia introduces harsh anti-protest bill

The South Australian government adopted a bill on 18 May increasing maximum fines from $750 to $50,000 or three months of jail time for persons obstructing the free passage of a public place. Human rights groups have criticized the hasty passage of the bill by both the lower and upper houses without public consultation, as well as raised concerns that the bill infringes on the right to peaceful protest. The law was prompted by three days of protests after climate activists took action outside an annual gathering of fossil fuel executives. Rights experts note that the legislation is part of a worrying trend wherein climate activists are increasingly becoming the target of harsh penalties over the past year.

Protests Climate Change