International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, opened for signature 19 December 1966, 999 UNTS 171, art 9(1) (entered into force generally 23 March 1976 and for Australia 13 August 1980).
2.
Ibid art 9(4).
3.
Ibid art 10(1).
4.
Ibid art 7.
5.
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, opened for signature 20 November 1989, 1577 UNTS 43, article 37(b) (entered into force 2 September 1990).
6.
Migration Act 1958 (Cth) ss 189 and 196.
7.
See, eg, Chu Kheng Lim v Minister for Immigration (1992) 176 CLR 1; Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs v B (2004) 206 ALR 130; Al-Kateb v Godwin (2004) 208 ALR 124 (‘Al-Kateb’); Behrooz v Secretary of the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (2004) 208 ALR 271 (‘Behrooz’); Re Woolley; Ex parte Applicants M276/2003 by their next friend GS (2004) 210 ALR 369 (‘Re Woolley’).
8.
Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs v Al Khafaji (2004) 208 ALR 201, [4] (McHughJ); Al-Kateb (2004) 208 ALR 124, [31] (McHughJ).
9.
A v Australia CCPR/C/59/D/560/1993; C v Australia CCPR/C/76/D/900/1999; Baban v Australia CCPR/C/78/D/1014/2001; Bakhtiyari v Australia CCPR/C/79/D/1069/2002.
10.
See, eg, Koowarta v Bjelke Petersen (1982) 153 CLR 168, 224–5.
11.
See, eg, Mabo v Queensland (No 2) (1992) 175 CLR 1; Dietrich v R (1992) 177 CLR 292.
12.
See, eg, Minister of State for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs v Teoh (1995) 183 CLR 273, 287.
13.
Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs v Teoh (1995) 183 CLR 273.
14.
See, eg, Al Kateb (2004) 208 ALR 124, [19] where Gleeson CJ noted that personal liberty is the most basic of common law rights and freedoms; R v Home Secretary, ex parte Daly [2001] 3 All ER 433, 447 where Lord Cooke explained that international human rights law recognises, rather than creates, rights that are ‘inherent and fundamental to democratic civilised society’.
15.
See, eg, State v Makwanyane (1995) (3) SA 391 (CC).
16.
See, eg, Atkins v Virginia, 536 US (2002) 1; Roper v Simmons, 543 US 1 (2005).
17.
See <www.interights.org> which provides a database of significant human rights decisions from domestic Commonwealth courts and from tribunals applying international human rights law such as the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, the European Court of Human Rights.
18.
This is not to say that Australian lawyers do not make use of comparative case law in their submissions, for clearly they do. However, as a general observation, there is a reluctance to refer to international human rights jurisprudence. Moreover, the reliance on comparative case law still tends to favour traditional Anglo common law jurisdictions such as the United Kingdom and United States and there is little evidence of attempts to look for relevant precedents beyond these traditional sources.
19.
(2004) 210 ALR 369.
20.
Behrooz (2004) 208 ALR 271.
21.
Al Kateb (2004) 20 ALR 124.
22.
Ibid [74].
23.
Ibid [78].
24.
Re Woolley (2004) 210 ALR 369, [167].
25.
Ibid [183]. See also Behrooz (2004) 208 ALR 271, [122].
26.
Re Woolley (2004) 210 ALR 369, [186].
27.
Ibid [29].
28.
Ibid.
29.
Union Steamship Co of Australia Pty Ltd v King (1988) 166 CLR 1, 10.
30.
Al Kateb (2004) 208 ALR 124, [46].
31.
Ibid [69].
32.
1 Wm & M 2, c 10.
33.
Roper v Simmons, 543 US 1, 24 (2005).
34.
Human Rights Committee, CCPR General Comment 20: Replaces General Comment 7 Concerning Prohibition of Torture and Cruel Treatment or Punishment, [4], UN Doc HR1/GEN/1/Rev.5 (2001). Consideration could and should also be given to the work of the Committee against Torture: See <//www.ohchr.org/english/bodies/jurisprudence.htm>.
35.
Ireland v United Kingdom (1978) 2 EHRR 35, [167].
36.
Ibid [162].
37.
Selçuk v Turkey (1998) 26 EHRR 477.
38.
Ireland v United Kingdom (1978) 2 EHRR 25, [167].
39.
Selmouni v France (2000) 29 EHRR 403, [101].
40.
Tyrer v United Kingdom (1978–80) 2 EHRR 1, [31].
41.
State v Makwanyane [1995] I LRC 269 (South Africa) para 311.
42.
Tyrer v United Kingdom (1978–80) 2 EHRR 1, [31].
43.
Ibid [33].
44.
See, eg, HRC, CCPR General Comment 20, above n 34.
45.
Ibid [5]; Ireland v United Kingdom (1978) 2 EHRR 25, [162].
46.
RodleyNigel, Question of the Human Rights of All Persons Subjected to any Form of Detention or Imprisonment, in Particular: Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, [10], UN Doc E/CN.4/1996/35 (1996).
47.
Committee on the Rights of the Child, Discussion Day on Violence against Children within the Family and in School, 28th session, [704], UN Doc CRC/C/111 (2001).
48.
Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Comission, A Last Resort? A Summary Guide to the National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention (2004) 37.
49.
SiloveD, ‘The Trauma Controversy’ (Paper presented at the International Symposium on Human Rights in Public Health: Research, Policy & Practice, Melbourne, 3–5 November 2004).
50.
Re Woolley (2004) 210 ALR 369, [177].
51.
Ibid [167].
52.
Australian Communist Party v Commonwealth (1951) 8 CLR 1.
