ABSTRACT
Australia has traditionally considered itself at the forefront of nations committed to the recognition and respect of human rights, including the right to life of all human beings.1 Australia has signed and ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which codifies the right to life in international law.2 Australia has also signed and ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), which codifies both the right to life, and a related right to survival and development, for all children and young persons.3 Recently, Australia has actively participated in the development of, and has been among the first to sign,4 the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which again codifies the right to life, and extends the right of survival to situations of risk and humanitarian emergency for both children and adults, specifically referenced to persons with disability. By world standards, Australia also has in place progressive domestic disability legislation and policy, which affirm the human rights of persons with disability, and promote their participation in society. Additionally, Australia is a wealthy country with relatively well developed health and social security systems, which include a wide range of specialist services targeted specifically at persons with disability and their families. Together, these factors would appear to provide a strong foundation for securing the rights to life and survival of Australians with disability. However, beneath these calm waters lie deadly currents.
