Nicolas Perpitch; 22/10/09
Michael Kirby has hit back at former High Court colleague Ian Callinan’s criticisms of a proposed charter of rights and activist judges, saying parliament sometimes needs “a little help from their friends” in the courts. And the former High Court judge lambasted sections of the media, which he claimed were not properly reporting the issue because of “extreme and hysterical” journalism. Mr Kirby, who served in the nation’s highest court for 13 years until his retirement this year, said judicial activism was sometimes required when injustices were done. Parliament often failed people such as Aborigines, prisoners, gays, women and refugees, who were frequently the victims of ill-conceived or discriminatory laws, he said at Murdoch University in Perth yesterday. “Those who have scrambled up the slippery slope of politics may not want a diversity of voices speaking up for human rights.
See: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26243639-5013404,00.html
Tags: Australia, Human Rights