Fed: Australia has lost the plot on human rights: Sidoti

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Fed: Australia has lost the plot on human rights: Sidoti

Leading human rights campaigner CHRIS SIDOTI says Australia has lost the plot on human rights.

Professor SIDOTI -- the former Australian Human Rights Commissioner -- says Australiaused to be a leading advocate for human rights.

But he's told told a seminar in Sydney that Australia has now joined ranks with statesthat are among the world's greatest human rights offenders.

He says compulsory detention for asylum seekers, coupled with domestic policies onreconciliation and mandatory sentencing, have damaged Australia's international humanrights reputation.

There's also been damage from Australia's recent record on United Nations issues includingthe women's discrimination convention, the international criminal court and inspectionof detention centres.

Professor SIDOTI says these things put Australia in the company of hard line countrieswith appalling human rights records such as China, Cuba, Iraq, Iran and Burma.

And he says the blame lies with the HOWARD government.

AAP RTV as/gjr

KEYWORD: RIGHTS SIDOTI (SYDNEY)