Next year will mark the 25th anniversary of Hume council’s Social Justice Charter.
Council will plan to host a civic event in 2026 to mark the anniversary of the charter alongside the 20th anniversary of the Hume Bill of Rights, following a suggestion from Cr Naim Kurt.
“2026 does mark 25 years since we adopted our Social Justice Charter that made us the first level of government in this country to do so,” Cr Kurt said.
“It was a bold step … We then followed this up in 2004 with the Hume Citizens Bill of Rights the very first of its kind in this country as well.
“And again, we led the way by putting fairness, inclusion, and participation at the centre of local government.”
The Hume Social Justice Charter outlines council’s commitment to support justice, fairness and accountability, as well as economic and social participation. This document serves as the guiding principles that influence council’s initiatives. It was most recently updated in 2021.
The Citizen Bill of Rights was introduced in 2004, before the state government’s bill was enacted in 2006.
As part of Cr Kurt’s motion, council will relaunch the bill to reflect contemporary community values and aspirations.
All councillors supported the motion, with Kate Hamley saying that council was ahead of its time in protecting the rights of its residents.
“Our social justice charter reflects what you already know about our community, that we care about each other, we care about equality, we care about inclusion, and we care about justice,” she said.
Council will use the 2026 event as part of its advocacy ahead of the state election, and will formally invite members of parliament, key stakeholders as well as the Governor General of Australia.
Council will also use this as an opportunity to reflect on progress made and outline future commitments to social justice across the city.
“These milestones are more than history,” Cr Kurt said.
“They are the reason people know Hume as a council that stands up for justice. A council that believes in dignity for all, no matter your background or your post code.”
