Australia seen as ‘soft on human rights’ for failing to confront ‘uncomfortable’ history, expert says

Renée Jeffery says country’s ‘discomfort’ stems from reluctance to address own history including treatment of First Nations people

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Australia is seen as “soft on human rights” because it has failed to confront its own “uncomfortable” history including the mistreatment of First Nations people, a leading expert says.

Prof Renée Jeffery, who specialises in human rights and foreign affairs, will say in a speech in Canberra on Thursday that Australia has failed to openly condemn “some of the world’s most egregious abuses”, often choosing quiet diplomacy.

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