Australias Engagement with Economic and Social Rights: A Case of Institutional [Hardcover]

This book is a contemporary socio-legal study of Australias protection of economic and social rights. Despite Australias hortatory language of compliance with international rights standards, its translation of these standards into domestic law and policy has been found wanting. In considering Australias compliance across the policy areas of health, housing, labour and social security, it is argued that Australias failings can be understood in terms of its institutional framework. This framework provides incomplete legal protection for rights and leaves that protection almost exclusively in the realm of politics and policymaking, an arena still dominated by neoliberalism and a political culture averse to the protection and promotion of economic and social rights.

Chapter 1: Introduction - Australias engagement with Economic and Social Rights.- Chapter 2: The Right to Health in Australia.- Chapter 3: The Right to Housing in Australia.- Chapter 4: The Right to Work and Rights at Work in Australia.- Chapter 5: The Right to Social Security in Australia.- Chapter 6: Concluding Reflections on Australias engagement with Economic and Social Rights.

Russell Solomon teaches law in the Global Urban and Social Studies School at RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia.

Russell Solomons book provides a timely and insightful reminder of the neglect, avoidance and regression that has tended to dominate Australias treatment of economic and social rights. He reveals the dangers associated with a neoliberal approach to policy making for the realisation of these rights in the absence of any schemes to ensure their constitutional or statutory protection. His focus on the rights to health, housing, work and social security allows him to demonstrate with clarity the differences between welfare or charity based approaches and a genuine human rights based approal£)