Fremantle Declaration

The Fremantle Declaration was a restatement and affirmation of legal and human rights principles in Australia. It was signed in Fremantle, Western Australia by all of the Attorneys-General of all the Australian States and territories on 10 November 2006. It was not signed by the Commonwealth Attorney-General Philip Ruddock. At the time, all state and territory governments were held by the Australian Labour Party, whereas the Federal (Commonwealth) government was held by the conservative Liberal Party of Australia. The declaration is no more than a commitment to uphold existing national laws and international agreements of which Australia is party, based on principles that are widely held by the Australian public. This uncontroversial statement, however, was intended and perceived as a censure of the conservative government led by John Howard for its attempts to circumvent the Australian legal system in the treatment of unauthorized immigrants and in its acquiescence to the US government treatment of captives accused of terrorism.