The Faculty of Law (FH) at Hasanuddin University (UNHAS) once again organized an international academic event through a public lecture on “Human Rights Protection in Australia: Lessons from the Victorian Dialogue Model.” The event took place on Monday 8 June 2026, from 13:00 to 15:00 Central Indonesia Time at the Video Conference Room of the FH UNHAS.
The public lecture featured a prominent keynote speaker, Prof. Dr. H. Nadirsyah Hosen, LL.M., M.A. (Hons), Ph.D., an academic and legal expert with an international reputation in constitutional law, Islamic law, and comparative law. His presence provided a valuable opportunity for the academic community of the FH UNHAS to gain firsthand perspectives on human rights issues and international legal developments. The event was moderated by the Secretary of the International Law Department, Dr. Kadarudin, S.H., M.H.
In his academic journey, Nadirsyah Hosen is an Indonesian scholar who has been teaching at the Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne, since 1 July 2024. He previously served as an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law, University of Wollongong, and later joined Monash University as a faculty member at the Faculty of Law. Additionally, he actively serves as an Adjunct Professor at the FH UNHAS. The event was attended by lecturers and students of the Faculty of Law, UNHAS. During his presentation, Prof. Nadirsyah Hosen explained the characteristics of the human rights protection system in Australia, which utilizes a different approach compared to many other democratic nations. Australia does not possess a national Bill of Rights as implemented in several countries; however, it continues to develop various human rights protection mechanisms through legislative instruments, public policy, and judicial practices.
The primary focus of this public lecture was the discussion of the Victorian Dialogue Model, a human rights protection framework developed through the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 in the State of Victoria. This model emphasizes the importance of dialogue among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches to ensure the respect, protection, and fulfillment of human rights.
According to Prof. Nadirsyah Hosen, the dialogic approach implemented in Victoria offers an intriguing alternative for developing human rights protection systems. In this model, courts do not directly invalidate laws deemed incompatible with human rights. Instead, they encourage a constitutional dialogue among the branches of state power to amend and refine the problematic policies. Furthermore, he explained that this model demonstrates how human rights protection can be constructed through an institutional collaboration without diminishing the principle of parliamentary supremacy. Victoria’s experience serves as an important case study in modern constitutional law because it offers a balance between representative democracy and the protection of fundamental rights.
The discussion progressed dynamically, with various questions raised by participants regarding the relevance of the Victorian Dialogue Model to Indonesia. Several attendees highlighted the potential implementation of this dialogic approach to strengthen human rights protection, improve the quality of legislation, and develop a more constructive relationship between state institutions within a democratic constitutional framework.
The leadership of FH UNHAS, expressed appreciation for Prof. Nadirsyah Hosen’s contribution to enriching the academic insights of the UNHAS Law Faculty community. His presence is expected to stimulate the strengthening of comparative law studies and open broader avenues of discussion regarding various human rights protection models developing worldwide.Through the organization of this public lecture, FH UNHAS continues to reinforce their commitment to providing high-quality academic forums, expanding international networks, and enhancing the capacity of students and lecturers to comprehend global legal developments relevant to the Indonesian context
