About

We invite student-led groups and individual students to join the Human Rights Act for NSW Alliance for a free online briefing about the inquiry into a NSW Human Rights Act.

Did you know that the NSW Parliament is currently holding an inquiry into whether our state should have a Human Rights Act? This gives students across NSW a once in decades opportunity to call for their human rights to be protected in law!

Human Rights Act for NSW is an alliance of more than 130 legal and community organisations, faith bodies and trade unions and we have organised this briefing to support students and student-led groups to make submissions to the NSW Community Services Committee Inquiry into the Human Rights Bill 2025. 

If you are a student or student-led group interested in human rights - for example - you might be worried about access to housing, healthcare, inclusive education, or democratic freedoms - come along to this free online briefing and find out how we can support you to share your perspectives with the Committee.

This is an historic opportunity to tell our parliamentarians that we want our state to legally protect human rights for all NSW residents. It is absolutely critical that as many people and organisations as possible make a submission to the Committee. We think it is especially crucial that the Committee hears from students and young people.

This Briefing is targeted at students and student-led bodies who are interested in finding out more about:

• what a Human Rights Act is
• why it matters that NSW has fallen behind other places when it comes to protecting human rights
• how to join the Human Rights Act for NSW Alliance
• how to make a submission to the Inquiry into the Human Rights Bill 2025 by 3 July 2026, including how to use our Submission Guide to help you to decide what details and key messages should be covered in your submission.

SPEAKERS

Kerry Weste, Human Rights Act for NSW Alliance and Vice President, Australian Lawyers for Human Rights

Kerry was admitted as a solicitor and barrister in South Australia in 1998. She is currently ALHR's Vice President and the chair of Children's Rights. Kerry also served a six year term as ALHR President. Kerry co-founded and convenes Human Rights for NSW, an alliance of 130+ peak bodies, legal and community organisations. She also co-founded the Human Rights Act for South Australia Coalition, the Western Australia for a Human Rights Act Coalition, and co-convenes the joint civil society Welcoming Disability Campaign.

Kerry has 27 years experience as an advocate, working in government and private practise in London, South Australia, and in Sydney as a Senior Legal Officer for the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions. She currently works as a human rights consultant in the civil society and NGO sector. She has extensive experience working within human rights research and writing, policy and law reform, domestic and international advocacy campaigns and engaging with UN Special Procedures mechanisms.

Timothy Roberts, Human Rights Act for NSW Alliance and President, NSW Council for Civil Liberties

Timothy commenced in the legal profession in April 2020 at NEW Law, a law firm owned by unions and that provides legal services to unions, union members and the general public. Timothy commenced as a paralegal and research assistant to support Counsel Assisting the Teachers Federation Independent Inquiry into the status of teaching, and his work in this role contributed to the 2021 Valuing the teacher profession report. Timothy was admitted as a solicitor in July 2021.

Prior to Timothy’s appointment at NEW Law, he worked as a Senior Education Officer and Executive Officer at the NSW Education Standards Authority. Timothy holds a Bachelor of Biomedical Science and Master of Education from the University of Newcastle, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Technology Sydney.
Timothy began his career as a secondary science teacher, working primarily in regional NSW. In 2016, he was a representative for public schools on the Quality Teaching Council.

Timothy has also worked as a Relief Officer in many roles at the NSW Teachers Federation and been an association representative on their Branch Council.

Emily Cukalevski, Human Rights Act for NSW Alliance and Founder and Managing Director of Disability Rights Connect

Emily is the Founder and Managing Director of Disability Rights Connect, a consultancy advising on disability law, policy and system reform.

Emily has worked across government, academia and civil society to advance disability rights, law reform and inclusive public policy. She previously served as a Director at the Disability Royal Commission, where she led policy work on key areas of reform including autonomy, supported decision-making and restrictive practices. She has also worked with the Australian Human Rights Commission and the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Emily has led and contributed to a range of national disability reform projects, including the development of the Australian Coalition for Inclusive Education's National Roadmap for Achieving Inclusive Education.

Emily holds a Master of Laws in International and Comparative Disability Law and Policy. Earlier in her career, she worked as a solicitor in the Dispute Resolution team at Herbert Smith Freehills in Sydney and London. She was admitted as a solicitor in New South Wales in 2012

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