Castan Centre for Human Rights Law

Indonesia-Australia Specialised Training Project - Phase II

The 2001 'Human Rights in Australia' short course was organised under the auspices of the Indonesia-Australia Specialised Training Project (IASTP), which is a bilateral scheme funded by the Australian Government (through AusAID) and the Indonesian Government. 

The course ran for thirteen weeks from 16 April to 16 July 2001 and was organised by Monash International and run by the Castan Centre.

There were sixteen Indonesian officials participating in the course who were drawn from government ministries and agencies, academic institutions and non-government organisations.

The course comprised a program of lectures and seminars on the general theme of the nature, form and protection of human rights at international, regional and domestic levels.  A wide range of Monash lecturers, guest lecturers and speakers were engaged and a large number of federal and state agencies hosted visits from the delegation.

On-site agency visits were an integral part of the course, providing participants a greater understanding and experience of the workings of Australian institutions dealing with human rights. 

The Victorian program of on-site visits included amongst others the Victorian Parliament, the Federal Court, Equal Opportunity Commission, Amnesty International, Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service, Gippsland Prison and the Victorian Foundation for the Victims of Torture.

In Canberra their visits included the Attorney-General's Department, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, Australian Federal Police, Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions and the Australian Council for Overseas Aid.

Their visit to Sydney included on-site visits to the Australian Law Reform Commission, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, Independent Commission Against Corruption, Police Integrity Commission and Legal Aid Commission.