COTA Tasmania is a proud member of the Global Alliance for the Rights of Older People (GAROP), which is lobbying hard for an International Convention on the Rights of Older Persons.
In Australia, our human rights are defined as the rights and freedoms contained in several international agreements to which Australia is a signatory. Without an International Convention on the Rights of Older Persons, older people’s rights in Australia are not adequately protected.
We Need Your Help
We need to let the Federal Government know that protecting the rights of older Australians is vitally important. You can help by lobbying your local politicians, writing to the media and talking to your friends and family.
As the Hon. Susan Ryan AO said when she was Australia’s Age Discrimination Commissioner, “You can initiate local discussions in community groups and communicate the results to NGOs like OWN and COTA, which is part of the global alliance. You can comment to talk back radio and make the points on the many blogs that might be relevant.”
To read Ms Ryan’s full speech, Â click here.
Charter of Aged Care Rights
Although there is no International Convention on the Rights of Older Persons, some older Australians do have specific rights protected by charter. These are people receiving Government-funded aged care. Click here to read Australia’s Charter of Aged Care Rights.
If you feel your aged care rights are being ignored, you may wish to talk to Advocacy Tasmania (phone 1800 005 131) about what action you can take.