’WPC[ ˆC »š°ĘeŁÜa}+z¬}Y7+w~Zńy„$÷e]Ī4\PŹ'“3äóćAKWt­OqĀ/՘%Ńį’®(ņÜ~„µGó¦ųpÉęR¢,č£S/õzs=‘†®ņiIŌµtųš…>rżįŃ;hǐŌ8Ū-Ī­~·+|† %i{wĒ<譄cor2ķl$ī2`eš—Ó,ĘS =wŽ ™C/ǦqLl½“£ 1f¹ųå®ņ«ähŗąć–W1e¤“wÆ%P  ‹µ­^K±ŸhÖ¹nÜ d2«åą-Z>(į® īį \Š"k’ÉAģÆīDĝ‚kĢ)Ŗū;$ ›Ąk*W8Üŗ[Ń ź\•I6ź y° {.ź(i†M[.W±æÓ‘‚”©ÉJ¢¬§‹°3ž$¢īł— ¢AR‰!±B j÷éĀ"ό«šNÄ.“Æ9Ńz¾ dįēėnƒ ¬ ļ˜\Õ”•pšõ•ģī*ž¢¬ HZrE­ QłhF-‡š¼ųB¬|Mē龆BÓēŽ„ī—] žA? sˆµ.ŃsŽ· K±Õ7²ģQXö‘ߊÅg†N–ē„žŃue‚›±¦„A1WŖˆ6ģÓĘw= #Į¶UNw %Å 0:Ė^ w4)8 m:QNY˜HP LaserJet 4P,ü,,,,,ü0&Öd9 Z‹6Times New Roman RegularX(üœ$””ŌUSUS.,ŌĘq8/ é[/4 k1`cŸ3|x’U‹’ĄĄĄ Ż ƒüœ!ŻŌUSUS.,ŌŻ  ŻŌ_Ōņ ņCOMMITTEE€ON€THE€ELIMINATION€OF€RACIAL€DISCRIMINATIONŠ ° ŠĢņņB.€M.€S.€v.€AustraliaóóŠ ˆŲ ŠĢCommunication€No.€€8/1996Š `° ŠĢ19€August€1997Š 8 ˆ ŠĢŌ_ŌCERDŌ_Ō/C/51/D/8/1996ó óŠ  ` ŠĢĢņ ņADMISSIBILITYó óŠ Ō$  ŠĢĢņņņņSubmitted€byóó:€B.€M.€S.€(represented€by€counsel)Š ˜č  ŠĢņņAlleged€victimóó:€€The€authorŠ pĄ ŠĢņņState€partyóó:€€AustraliaŠ H˜ ŠĢņņDate€of€communicationóó:€€19€July€1996€(initial€submission)Š  p ŠĢņņDate€of€present€decisionóó:€€19€August€1997óóŠ ųH ŠĢĢņņÓ  Óņ ņDecision€on€admissibilityó óóóŠ ¼  ŠÓŽÓĢĢÓ  Ó1.€€The€author€of€the€communication€is€B.€M.€S.,€an€Australian€citizen€since€1992,€of€Indian€origin;Š €Š Šhe€is€currently€a€practicing€doctor.€€He€claims€to€be€a€victim€of€violations€of€Ō_ŌCERDŌ_Ō€by€Australia.€Š l¼ ŠHe€is€represented€by€counsel.Š X Ø ŠĢņņThe€facts€as€submitted€by€the€authoróóŠ 0"€  ŠĢ2.1€€The€author€graduated€from€Ō_ŌOsmaniaŌ_Ō€University€(India).€€He€holds€a€diploma€in€ClinicalŠ $X" ŠNeurology€(Ō_ŌDCNŌ_Ō)€from€the€University€of€London.€€He€had€practiced€medicine€in€England,€India,Š ō$D # ŠIreland€and€the€United€States.€€He€has€worked€as€a€medical€practitioner,€under€temporary€registration,Š ą%0!$ Šin€a€teaching€hospital€in€New€South€Wales€(Australia)€for€eight€years.€€Currently,€he€is€a€seniorŠ Ģ&"% Šmedical€hospital€officer€in€the€intensive€care€unit€at€Dandenong€(Australia).Š ø'#& ŠĢ2.2€€The€author€states€that€doctors€trained€overseas€who€have€sought€medical€registration€in€AustraliaŠ )ą$( Šhave€to€undergo€and€pass€an€examination€involving€two€stages,€a€multiple€choice€examinationŠ |*Ģ%) Š(Ō_ŌMCQŌ_Ō)€and€finally€a€clinical€examination.€€The€whole€process€is€conducted€by€the€AustralianŠ h+ø&* ŠMedical€Council€(AMC),€a€non€governmental€organization€partly€funded€by€the€Government.Š T,¤'+ ŠŠ @-(, ŠŌ_Ō2.3€€In€1992,€the€Australian€Minister€of€Health€imposed€a€quota€on€the€number€of€doctors€trainedŠ ° Šoverseas€who€pass€the€first€stage€of€this€examination.€€Therefore,€doctors€who€were€trained€abroadŠ œģ Šand€who€are€Australian€residents€and€Australian€citizens€may€not€be€registered€precisely€because€theyŠ ˆŲ Šfall€outside€the€quota.€€On€the€other€hand,€quota€places€may€be€allocated€to€persons€without€anyŠ tÄ Šimmigration€status€in€Australia.€€In€October€1995,€the€quota€system€was€discontinued€(see€StateŠ `° Špartyššs€submission€of€17€January€1997).Š L œ ŠĢ2.4€€Since€the€quota€system€has€been€imposed,€the€author€has€sat€the€MCQ€examination€set€by€theŠ $ t ŠAMC€on€three€occasions.€€He€has€satisfied€the€minimum€requirements€of€the€MCQ€examination€butŠ  ` Šwas€always€prevented,€by€the€quota€system,€from€proceeding€to€the€clinical€examination.Š ü L  ŠĢ2.5€€In€March€1993,€the€author€filed€a€formal€discrimination€complaint€against€the€Australian€HumanŠ Ō$  ŠRights€and€Equal€Opportunity€Commission€(HREOC)€complaining€about€the€quota€and€theŠ Ą  Šexamination€system.€€In€August€1995,€the€Commission€found€the€quota€policy€unlawful€under€theŠ ¬ü  ŠAustralian€Race€Discrimination€Act,€considering€it€š šgrossly€unfair,€resulting€in€unnecessary€trauma,Š ˜č  Šfrustration€and€a€deep€sense€of€injusticešš.€€The€Commission€considered€š šscandalousšš€that€the€authorŠ „Ō  Šwas€denied€the€right€to€proceed€to€the€clinical€examination€only€by€reason€of€the€quota.Š pĄ ŠĢ2.6€€The€Australian€Government€and€the€AMVC€appealed€the€decision€of€the€HREOC.€€On€17€JulyŠ H˜ Š1996,€the€Federal€Court€of€Australia€ruled€in€the€Governmentššs€favour,€on€the€grounds€that€the€quotaŠ 4„ Šset€by€the€Minister€of€Health€and€the€examination€system€were€reasonable.Š  p ŠĢ2.7€€The€author€did€not€appeal€this€decision€to€the€High€Court€of€Australia.€€In€this€respect,€counselŠ ųH Šclaims€that€there€is€no€automatic€right€of€appeal€to€the€High€Court,€since€the€Court€must€first€grantŠ ä4 Šspecial€leave€to€appeal.€€Furthermore,€the€author€does€not€have€the€means€to€pursue€the€appealŠ Š  Šwithout€being€awarded€legal€aid,€and€a€cost€order€will€be€imposed€on€him€if€the€appeal€isŠ ¼  Šunsuccessful.€€Counsel€contends€that€the€appeal€to€the€High€Court€is€not€an€effective€remedy€withinŠ Øų Šthe€meaning€of€article€14,€paragraph€7€(a),€of€the€Convention.Š ”ä ŠĢņņThe€complaintóóŠ l¼ ŠĢ3.1€€Counsel€claims€that€both€the€AMC€examination€system€for€overseas€doctors,€as€a€whole€and€theŠ D!” Šquota€itself,€were€unlawful€and€constitute€racial€discrimination.Š 0"€  ŠĢ3.2€€Counsel€contends€that€the€judgement€of€the€Federal€Court€of€Australia€acknowledges€theŠ $X" Šdiscriminatory€acts€of€the€Australian€Government€and€the€AMC€and€thereby€reduces€the€protectionŠ ō$D # Šaccorded€to€Australians€under€the€Racial€Discrimination€Act.€€It€is€also€said€to€eliminate€any€chanceŠ ą%0!$ Šof€reform€of€this€discriminatory€legislation.Š Ģ&"% ŠĢ3.3€€Counsel€contends€that€the€restrictions€to€practice€their€profession€imposed€on€overseas€trainedŠ ¤(ō#' Šdoctors,€before€they€can€be€registered,€aim€at€limiting€the€number€of€doctors€to€preserve€š šthe€moreŠ )ą$( Šlucrative€areas€of€medical€practicešš€for€domestically€trained€doctors.Š |*Ģ%) ŠĢņņThe€State€partyššs€information€and€authorššs€comments€thereonóóŠ T,¤'+ ŠŠ @-(, Š4.1€€In€its€submission€under€rule€92€of€the€Committeeššs€rules€of€procedure,€dated€17€January€1997,Š ° Šthe€State€party€informs€the€Committee€that€the€quota€system€was€discontinued€in€October€1995,€asŠ œģ Ša€result€of€a€decision€of€August€1995€of€the€Human€Rights€and€Equal€Opportunity€Commission,Š ˆŲ Šwhich€considered€the€quota€system€to€be€racially€discriminatory.€€The€author€was€the€complainantŠ tÄ Šin€the€case.€€All€parties€sought€review€of€this€decision€before€the€Federal€Court€of€Australia,€the€courtŠ `° Šfound€that€the€quota€system€was€reasonable€and€therefore€not€racially€discriminatory.Š L œ ŠĢ4.2€€As€a€result€of€the€decision€by€the€AMC€to€discontinue€the€application€of€the€quota€to€overseasŠ $ t Štrained€doctors€within€the€examination€process,€the€281€candidates€who€had€fallen€outside€the€quota,Š  ` Šincluding€the€author,€were€informed€that€they€were€eligible€to€undertake€the€clinical€exams.Š ü L  ŠĢ4.3€€The€State€party€notes€that€the€author€has€sat€the€AMC€clinical€exam€and€failed€it€three€times.€Š Ō$  ŠAn€independent€observer€appointed€by€the€author€was€present€during€his€first€two€attempts,€but€notŠ Ą  Šat€the€last;€the€presence€of€the€observers€was€the€result€of€a€decision€of€the€HREOC€in€the€authorššsŠ ¬ü  Šcase.€€Under€the€current€AMC€regulations,€the€author€may€re„sit€the€clinical€exam€in€the€next€twoŠ ˜č  Šyears,€without€having€to€re„sit€the€MCQ€exam.€€It€further€states€that€currently€there€is€no€restrictionŠ „Ō  Šother€than€satisfactory€performance€on€the€authorššs€progress€through€the€AMC€examinations.Š pĄ ŠĢ4.4€€With€respect€to€counselššs€allegation€that€the€Federal€Court€ordered€the€author€to€pay€the€legalŠ H˜ Šcosts€of€the€AMC,€the€State€party€informs€the€Committee€that€in€November€of€1996€the€AMC€agreedŠ 4„ Što€discontinue€pursuit€of€costs€against€the€author.€€The€Federal€Court€had€made€no€order€for€costsŠ  p Šin€respect€of€the€Commonwealth€of€Australia,€which€agreed€to€bear€its€own€costs.Š  \ ŠĢ4.5€€In€the€light€of€the€above€the€State€party€considers€the€authorššs€complaint€to€be€moot.Š ä4 ŠĢ5.1€€In€his€comments,€counsel€informs€the€Committee€that€the€author€does€not€wish€to€withdraw€hisŠ ¼  Šcase.€€He€notes€that€although€it€is€true€that€the€quota€system€was€discontinued€in€October€1995,€itŠ Øų Šmay€be€reintroduced€at€any€time€(sic)€in€light€of€the€Federal€Courtššs€decision€which€overturned€theŠ ”ä ŠHuman€Rights€and€Equal€Opportunity€Commissionššs€decision.€€According€to€counsel€the€State€partyŠ €Š Šauthorities€have€contemplated€the€possibility€of€reintroducing€the€quota€system.Š l¼ ŠĢ5.2€€The€author€contends€that€the€discontinuation€of€the€quota€system€has€not€solved€the€problem€ofŠ D!” Šdiscrimination,€as€the€AMC€has€simply€increased€the€pass€criteria€to€compensate€for€the€absence€ofŠ 0"€  Šthe€restrictive€effects€of€the€quota.€€He€further€claims€that€although€Mr.€B.€M.€S.€has€been€allowedŠ #l! Što€proceed€to€the€clinical€examination,€he€was€failed€on€each€occasion,€in€circumstances€whichŠ $X" Šsuggest€that€he€is€being€penalized€for€having€originally€complained€to€the€Human€Rights€and€EqualŠ ō$D # ŠOpportunity€Commission.€€About€this€issue,€he€has€lodged€a€further€complaint€with€the€Commission.Š ą%0!$ ŠĢ5.3€€Counsel€contends€that€the€fact€that€a€discriminatory€practice€has€been€discontinued€does€notŠ ø'#& Šchange€its€previous€discriminatory€nature€or€render€void€complaints€concerning€its€application€andŠ ¤(ō#' Šoperation€when€it€was€still€in€force.€€Consequently,€it€is€argued€that€the€authorššs€rights€were€violatedŠ )ą$( Šfrom€1992€to€1995,€causing€him€a€detriment€which€has€not€been€redressed€by€the€discontinuation€ofŠ |*Ģ%) Šthe€quota€system.Š h+ø&* ŠĢņņIssues€and€proceedings€before€the€CommitteeóóŠ @-(, Ї6.1€€Before€considering€any€claims€contained€in€a€communication€the€Committee€on€the€EliminationŠ ° Šof€Racial€Discrimination€must,€in€accordance€with€rule€91€of€its€rules€of€procedure,€determineŠ œģ Šwhether€or€not€it€is€admissible€under€the€International€Convention€on€the€Elimination€of€All€FormsŠ ˆŲ Šof€Racial€Discrimination.Š tÄ ŠĢ6.2€€The€main€issues€before€the€Committee€are€(a)€whether€the€State€party€failed€to€meet€itsŠ L œ Šobligation€under€article€5€(e)€(i)€to€guarantee€the€authorššs€right€to€work€and€free€choice€ofŠ 8 ˆ Šemployment€(b)€whether€the€order€of€costs€against€the€author€by€the€Federal€Court€violated€theŠ $ t Šauthorššs€rights€under€article€5€(a)€to€equal€treatment€before€the€courts.Š  ` ŠĢ6.3€€As€to€the€authorššs€complaint€that€he€was€discriminated€against€because€the€pass€criteria€haveŠ č 8  Šbeen€raised€in€order€to€compensate€for€the€discontinuation€of€the€quota€system,€the€author€himselfŠ Ō$  Šconcedes€that€this€matter€has€been€submitted€to€the€Australia€Human€Rights€and€Equal€OpportunityŠ Ą  ŠCommission€which€does€not€appear€to€have€decided€on€this€issue€at€the€time€of€the€CommitteeššsŠ ¬ü  Špresent€decision.€€Consequently,€this€part€of€the€communication€is€inadmissable€for€non„exhaustionŠ ˜č  Šof€domestic€remedies,€pursuant€to€article€14,€paragraph€7€(a),€of€the€Convention.Š „Ō  ŠĢ6.4€€The€Committee€has€noted€the€authorššs€claim€that€costs€ordered€by€the€Court€against€himŠ \¬ Šconstitute€discrimination€against€him€as€the€Federal€Court€rarely€imposes€costs€in€cases€such€as€his.€Š H˜ ŠIt€noted,€however,€that€the€State€party€has€indicated€that€the€AMC€will€not€be€further€pursuing€theŠ 4„ Šcosts€imposed€by€the€Court.€€In€the€circumstances€of€the€case,€the€Committee€considers€that€theŠ  p Šauthor€is€not€a€š švictimšš€of€a€violation€of€the€Convention€within€the€meaning€of€article€14,€paragraphŠ  \ Š2,€of€the€Convention,€in€respect€of€this€claim.€€This€part€of€the€communication€is,€therefore,Š ųH Šinadmissible.Š ä4 ŠĢ6.5€€As€to€the€claim€relating€to€the€discriminatory€nature€of€both€the€AMC€examination€and€its€quotaŠ ¼  Šsystem€for€overseas€trained€doctors,€the€Committee€notes€that€the€author€filed€a€complaint€with€theŠ Øų ŠHREOC,€which€found€in€his€favour€in€respect€of€the€quota€system€and€in€favour€of€theŠ ”ä ŠCommonwealth€in€respect€of€the€examination€system€itself.€€It€notes€that€the€quota€system€was€foundŠ €Š Što€be€discriminatory€by€the€Human€Rights€and€Equal€Opportunity€Commission:€€its€decision€wasŠ l¼ Šappealed,€and€the€Federal€Court€overturned€the€Commissionššs€decision.€€Notwithstanding€thisŠ X Ø Šjudgment,€the€Commonwealth€has€not€reintroduced€the€quota€system.€€The€Committee€notes€howeverŠ D!” Šthat€the€Federal€Courtššs€decision€provide€a€legal€basis€for€the€reintroduction€of€the€quota€system€anyŠ 0"€  Štime.€€Furthermore,€the€Committee€does€not€share€the€State€partyššs€reasoning€that€since€the€quotaŠ #l! Šsystem€has€now€been€discontinued,€the€authorššs€complaint,€for€the€alleged€discrimination€betweenŠ $X" Š1992€and€1995,€has€become€moot.€€The€Committee€considers€that€the€author€has€sufficientlyŠ ō$D # Šsubstantiated€his€claim,€for€purpose€of€admissibility,€and€consequently,€considers€this€part€of€theŠ ą%0!$ Šcommunication€admissible.Š Ģ&"% ŠĢ6.6€€Finally,€in€respect€of€the€fact€that€the€author€did€not€appeal€of€Federal€Courtššs€decision€of€17€JulyŠ ¤(ō#' Š1996€to€the€High€Court€of€Australia,€the€Committee€considers€that€even€if€this€possibility€were€stillŠ )ą$( Šopen€to€the€author€and€taking€into€account€the€length€of€the€appeal€process,€the€circumstances€of€theŠ |*Ģ%) Špresent€case€justify€the€conclusion€that€the€application€of€domestic€remedies€has€been€unreasonablyŠ h+ø&* Šprolonged€within€the€meaning€of€article€14,€paragraph€7€(a),€of€the€Convention.Š T,¤'+ ŠŌ_ŌŠ @-(, Š7.€€The€Committee€on€the€Elimination€of€Racial€Discrimination€therefore€decides:Š ° ŠĢą  ą(a)€€that€the€communication€is€admissible;€Š ˆŲ ŠĢą  ą(b)€€that,€in€accordance€with€rule€94€of€the€Committeeššs€rules€of€procedure,€the€State€partyŠ `° Šshall€be€requested€to€submit€to€the€Committee,€within€three€months€of€the€date€of€transmittal€to€itŠ L œ Šof€the€present€decision,€written€explanations€or€statements€clarifying€the€case€under€consideration;Š 8 ˆ ŠĢą  ą(c)€€that€any€explanation€or€statements€submitted€by€the€State€party€pursuant€to€rule€94€shallŠ  ` Šbe€transmitted€to€the€author€of€the€communication€under€rule€94,€paragraph€4,€of€the€rules€ofŠ ü L  Šprocedure,€for€comments;Š č 8  ŠĢą  ą(d)€€that€this€decision€shall€be€communicated€to€the€State€party€and€to€the€author.Š Ą  ŠĢ[Done€in€English,€French,€Russian€and€Spanish,€the€English€text€being€the€original€version.]Š ˜č  ŠĢĢŌ_ŌŌ_ŌÓ3Ó