last year, Green MP Catherine Delahunty's bill to establish a full-time disability rights commissioner on the Human Rights Commission was drawn from the ballot. The government responded by adopting the proposal, appointing Commissioners Rosslyn Noonan and Dr Judy McGregor to jointly hold the position pending proper legislation. Now, that legislation has arrived, as part of the government's Human Rights Amendment Bill (which includes various other patch-ups and moves the entire Commission to a full-time basis).
Its a good example of how minor parties and member's bills can provoke change - and of the positive changes the Greens have managed to achieve despite never being in government. And hopefully there'll be a lot more of that in the future.
