Human Rights Act 2004
A2004-5
Republication No 17
Effective: 17 March 2025
Republication date: 17 March 2025
Last amendment made by A2024-49
(republication for amendments by A2024‑43)
About this republication
The republished law
This is a republication of the Human Rights Act 2004 (including any amendment made under the Legislation Act 2001, part 11.3 (Editorial changes)) as in force on 17 March 2025. It also includes any commencement, amendment, repeal or expiry affecting this republished law to 17 March 2025.
The legislation history and amendment history of the republished law are set out in endnotes 3 and 4.
Kinds of republications
The Parliamentary Counsel’s Office prepares 2 kinds of republications of ACT laws (see the ACT legislation register at type="disc">
authorised republications to which the Legislation Act 2001 applies
unauthorised republications.
The status of this republication appears on the bottom of each page.
Editorial changes
The Legislation Act 2001, part 11.3 authorises the Parliamentary Counsel to make editorial amendments and other changes of a formal nature when preparing a law for republication. Editorial changes do not change the effect of the law, but have effect as if they had been made by an Act commencing on the republication date (see Legislation Act 2001, s 115 and s 117). The changes are made if the Parliamentary Counsel considers they are desirable to bring the law into line, or more closely into line, with current legislative drafting practice.
This republication includes amendments made under part 11.3 (see endnote 1).
Uncommenced provisions and amendments
If a provision of the republished law has not commenced, the symbol U appears immediately before the provision heading. Any uncommenced amendments that affect this republished law are accessible on the ACT legislation register ( For more information, see the home page for this law on the register.
Modifications
If a provision of the republished law is affected by a current modification, the symbol M appears immediately before the provision heading. The text of the modifying provision appears in the endnotes. For the legal status of modifications, see the Legislation Act 2001, section 95.
Penalties
At the republication date, the value of a penalty unit for an offence against this law is $160 for an individual and $810 for a corporation (see Legislation Act 2001, s 133).
Human Rights Act 2004
Contents
Page
Preamble 2
Part 1 Preliminary
1 Name of Act 3
3 Dictionary 3
4 Notes 3
Part 2 Human rights
5 What are human rights? 4
6 Who has human rights? 4
7 Rights apart from Act 4
Part 3 Civil and political rights
8 Recognition and equality before the law 5
9 Right to life 5
10 Protection from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment etc 5
11 Protection of the family and children 6
12 Privacy and reputation 6
13 Freedom of movement 6
14 Freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief 6
15 Peaceful assembly and freedom of association 7
16 Freedom of expression 7
17…