Human Rights
Taking action when your rights have been breached is central to everything we do at Shine Lawyers. In fact, one of our core values is to “stand up for the little guy” and we take this responsibility very seriously.
Shine Lawyers’ Human Rights team are leaders in this specialist field, having acted on behalf of indigenous Australians, asylum seekers, underpaid workers, victims of sexual assault, the vulnerable, the disadvantaged and communities mistreated by others, especially governments or big corporations.
In order to give everyone equal access to justice, you will be pleased to know that for all our cases we act on a ‘no win, no fee’ basis. Not only that, but in some instances we will step in and provide legal services on a no charge, or reduced charge basis, also known as pro bono.
The right to a “fair go” is the foundation of our nation’s success and achieving justice and standing up for human rights is most certainly worth fighting for as it contributes to a healthier society for all.
World Class Expertise
Shine Lawyers has established a national Human Rights team, with a proven track record, specifically to handle human rights cases.
Our team is led by George Newhouse, who is recognised nationally for his successes in the human rights arena and his commitment to carrying on fighting for those who need it most.
As a passionate advocate for human rights, George has worked successfully on behalf of refugees, former immigration detainees, minority groups and Aboriginal Australians.
He is best remembered for representing Vivian Solon, an Australian citizen, who was wrongfully taken from her family, removed from Australia and deported to the Philippines. He has also acted on behalf of Cornelia Rau, who was wrongfully detained in the Baxter detention centre in appalling conditions for 10 months.
George has worked with African migrants and in particular the victims of the Sudanese and Rwandan genocides and for the family of the late Richard Niyonsaba - a toddler who died in the care of the Commonwealth soon after being brought to Australia as a legal refugee. He has also acted for Tamil, Chinese, Palestinian and Iranian asylum seekers following the Rau and Solon cases.
In 2011, with the support of Shine Lawyers he represented the survivors and relatives of the Christmas Island boat tragedy (SIEV 221) and the relatives of two detainees who died at Villawood Immigration Detention Centre.
Protect Your Rights
The Human Rights team at Shine Lawyers can protect your rights in the following areas of law:
- Civil and Political Rights
- Asylum Seeker Rights
- The Environment and Climate Change
- Indigenous Rights and Equality
- Discrimination, including workplace or sexual discrimination
- Cyber-racism and hate crimes
- Coronial Inquests
- Protecting Citizens' rights against government or corporations
We encourage you to call us at Shine on 13 11 99 or complete our contact form if you are concerned your human rights are not being met.
Your situation will be assessed and where appropriate our Human Rights team will be able to assist you in resolving the issue.
Proud History
The Shine Lawyers Human Rights team has been at the forefront of protecting the rights of men and women in Australia through their involvement in the following cases: