Amnesty International Australia

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Amnesty International Australia

Type	Non-Governmental Organisation
Founded	1962, Australia
Headquarters	Sydney, Australia
Key people	National Director, Claire Mallinson; President, Georgina Perry
Industry	human rights
Products	Campaigning, research, consultancy, education.
Revenue	$17 Million AuD income (2006)
Employees	about 70 (nationally)
Website	www.amnesty.org.au

Amnesty International Australia (AI Australia) is a part of the Amnesty International network, and are part of the global movement defending human rights and dignity.

Since being founded, the organisation has worked to free prisoners of conscience, oppose torture, and fight other human rights violations around the world. It seeks to promote human rights in Australia and the Asia Pacific region by mobilising and activating individuals in defence of human rights, undertaking advocacy and education. It describes itself as working for full human rights for everyone.

[edit] Campaigns

Amnesty International Australia campaigns on international and domestic human rights issues and has focussed on such issues as the fair treatment of refugees and asylum seekers; upholding human rights in counter-terrorism activities; improving freedom of expression and unmasking human rights abuses in China; calling for the end of the death penalty internationally; and working to stop violence against women as part of an international campaign to see full human rights for everyone.

The Asia-Pacific region is a key concern for AI Australia.

[edit] Support

Amnesty International Australia has over 80,000 members and financial supporters, including prominent members from the entertainment industry, legal profession, arts and politics. Numerous federal politicians from all the major political parties are or have been members.

Controversy arose over former minister Phillip Ruddock's membership when he was asked to remove his Amnesty badge while discussing refugee and asylum seeker policies and practices at odds with Amnesty's position. He was not asked to leave the organisation however, as Amnesty is a democratic membership based organisation. It does not restrict membership and does not consider itself represented by the actions of just one of its members [1].