The group is on a six-month Australia-wide journey to discover whether a formal, legal document detailing human rights would provide a better safeguard against abuse.

The process has the backing of over 60 Australian human rights organisations including Amnesty International and the Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commissions.

The meeting was not advertised so most community members were precluded from contributing to the discussion.

In fact, only seven people attended.

This is despite the Human Rights Commission’s own website information which says that:

“During the first half of 2009 the Australian Government will ask everyone in Australia what they think about human rights through the National Human Rights Consultation.”

Those present overwhelmingly supported the proposed document.

Clara Davies from the Australian Lawyers Alliance described the meeting as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to tell the Government what was important to individuals.

“Few people realise that rights such as freedom of speech and association are not properly protected in this country and will not be unless people tell the Government that they should be protected,” she said.

“We still live in a country where fundamental rights can be ignored by our law-makers and eroded through poor administration and bureaucracy.”

The consultation committee, which is headed by Jesuit priest and lawyer Father Frank Brennan, includes former news presenter, Mary Kostakidis, indigenous barrister, Tammy Williams and former Australian Federal Police Commissioner, Mick Palmer.