Ageing is a natural part of life, a reflection of experience, resilience, and
contribution. Human rights do not diminish as the years pass. Yet, as people
grow older, they often face barriers that undermine the full realisation and
enjoyment of their rights.
This is not because their needs are less important, but because their rights are
less protected. Ageing does not diminish our worth. It reveals the shortcomings
of systems that fail to respect people across all life stages.
Discrimination, neglect, and exclusion in workplaces, health, and aged care are
not inevitable; they are the result of policy choices embedded in institutions that
overlook dignity, autonomy, and contribution of older people.
Promoting rights as we age means recognising that ageing begins from midlife,
and ensuring equity, participation, and respect for everyone throughout the
ageing journey is paramount.
A national Human Rights Act is more than a legal reform, it establishes
enforceable standards and clear obligations for governments and service
providers. It ensures that every person, regardless of age, is treated with dignity
and equality by requiring concrete measures such as accessible complaint
mechanisms, accountability frameworks, and rights-based decision-making in
policies and services.
A national Human Rights Act would ensure older people's voices are heard
in decisions that affect them, and their diverse needs and experiences -
including those of First Nations Peoples, older women, LGBTQIA+ individuals,
people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people with
disability, and those living in rural and remote areas - must be acknowledged
and respected.
A national Human Rights Act would protect older people from age-based
discrimination in employment, housing, health and aged care, and other areas of
public life. It would challenge ageism, promote positive attitudes toward ageing,
and foster a culture of respect and inclusion.
A national Human Rights Act would guarantee equitable access to
healthcare, ensuring older people receive timely, appropriate, and dignified care.
It would strengthen protections against abuse and neglect, which remain
persistent and deeply harmful. It would promote social inclusion by supporting
older people's participation in community life, education, and employment,
recognising that ageing does not diminish a person's right to belong, contribute,
and thrive.
A national Human rights Act would provide clear, accessible avenues for
older people to challenge violations of their rights. It would ensure equal access
to the legal system by requiring reasonable adjustments across civil, criminal,
and administrative processes. It would place the responsibility on government to
consider how its decisions impact the human rights of older people, recognising
that ageing should never be a reason for exclusion or disadvantage.
A national Human Rights Act would affirm that our rights are not conditional
on age, visibility, or perceived social status. It would help build a fairer, more
inclusive Australia, where growing older is not a disadvantage but is a period of
life where human rights continue to be recognised and enjoyed.
We urge the Australian Government to honour this truth by enacting a
national Human Rights Act, so that every person, at every age, can live
with dignity, respect, and justice.
We also see the development of an international legally binding instrument by
the UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons as a critical step in affirming
and articulating the human rights of older persons and helping to frame
domestic law and policy in a rights-consistent manner.
We accordingly call on the Australian government to express its inprinciple support for such a convention, to engage actively with older persons organisations and civil society on the issue, and to participate
constructively in the United Nations negotiations on the instrument.
This statement was developed with the input, insight and guidance of older people
and their representative organisations. This statement has been voluntarily endorsed
by the organisations named below, together with several individuals
