Human rights bill could lead to 'frivolous complaints': LNP

In October, Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath introduced the long-awaited human rights bill, which will enshrine 23 human rights, such as freedom of expression and a right to education.

Australia does not have a national bill of rights like the US, but Victoria and the ACT have introduced human rights laws.

The Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee has recommended the Queensland bill be passed.

However, the LNP members of the committee, James Lister and Jim McDonald, said there was an existing robust system guarding the public from poor bureaucratic decision-making in Queensland.

"There is concern from opposition members of the committee as to whether the bill appropriately adds any additional substantive legal protection for our community's most vulnerable to what already exists in Australian law," they wrote.

"There are benefits to identifying certain rights but there are also concerns in connection with practical absurdities and the potential misuse of the rights that will become obvious as the bill is implemented in the years ahead.

"It is imperative that there is a timely review of the operation of the bill."

The LNP members said there were also concerns regarding the potential for "frivolous complaints" being lodged with the Human Rights Commission.

However, they said there was no doubt the community's most vulnerable must be offered as much legal protection as possible.

The Human Rights Commissioner will be able to refuse to deal with complaints they consider to be frivolous, trivial, vexatious, misconceived or lacking in substance.

The bill will require courts to interpret legislation in a way compatible with human rights and require Parliament to consider human rights in drafting bills, however, politicians will still be allowed to pass legislation that does not match up with human rights.

The Anti-Discrimination Commission Queensland will be rebranded as the Queensland Human Rights Commission and will be responsible for promoting discussion of human rights and dispute resolution for complaints.

There will be no right to monetary damages on the basis of a breach of the human rights bill alone, which will instead be about discussion, raising awareness and education about human rights.

The bill also aims to build a culture in the Queensland public sector that respects and promotes human rights.

Queensland Council for Civil Liberties president Michael Cope said the bill would unfortunately not give people the right to sue for compensation.

"Whilst this is a weakness, it should not stand in the way of the passage of this bill," he said.

Mr Cope said similar laws had successfully been used in Victoria to secure housing for disabled people and protect the rights of people in nursing homes to have a shower behind a curtain.

The bill is certain to pass, as Labor has a majority in the Parliament, and would take effect in January 2020.

The issue of a human rights act for Queensland has been debated for decades, stretching back to a bill introduced by in 1959 by then-premier Sir Frank Nicklin.

The bill would protect: