{{Short description|Former political party in New South Wales, Australia}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}} {{Infobox Australian political party | party_name = Reform the Legal System<br/>{{small|Human Rights Party}} | party_logo = | party_wikicolourid = | leader = Peter Breen | deputy = | president = | convenor = | foundation = 1999 | disbanded = 2007<!--did the party live on longer than this, with no representation in parliament?--> | predecessor = | successor = Renewable Energy Party | headquarters = | ideology = | position = | international = | website = }} '''Reform the Legal System''', later known as the '''Human Rights Party''', was a political party in New South Wales. It was largely associated with MLC Peter Breen, its leader, who was elected in the 1999 state election. The party was renamed the "Human Rights Party" after Breen's brief membership of the Labor Party in 2006. Breen was defeated at the 2007 state election.<ref name="Peter Breen NSW Parl">{{Cite NSW Parliament |id=2042 |name=Mr Peter James Breen (1947- ) |former=Yes |access-date=11 May 2019}}</ref>
The party was registered for federal elections as "Peter Breen – Reform The Legal System" from 30 November 2000 to 15 November 2002.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aec.gov.au/Parties_and_Representatives/Party_Registration/Deregistered_parties/pbrtls.htm |title=Peter Breen – Reform The Legal System |date=5 January 2011 |publisher=Australian Electoral Commission |access-date=25 March 2016}}</ref>
At the 2003 New South Wales state election, Reform the Legal System stood Ahmed Sokarno for the Legislative Council, who was noted at the time for his Muslim faith. Sokarno founded Australia's first bilingual Arabic and English newspaper, and was a sports broadcaster for the Special Broadcasting Service at the time.<ref>{{cite AV media |interviewer-last1=Crittenden |interviewer-first1=Stephen |interviewer-link1=Stephen Crittenden |date=29 January 2003 |title=A Muslim candidate for NSW State Parliament |url=https://www.abc.net.au/listen/radionational/archived/religionreport/a-muslim-candidate-for-nsw-state-parliament/3529120 |access-date=21 August 2025 |work=The Religion Report |type=radio |publisher=Radio National |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250821013139/https://www.abc.net.au/listen/radionational/archived/religionreport/a-muslim-candidate-for-nsw-state-parliament/3529120 |archive-date=21 August 2025 |url-status=live }}</ref> The Reform the Legal System ticket in the Legislative Council, led by Sokarno, received 9,644 votes at the 2003 state election, or 0.26% of the statewide vote. The strongest level of support was recorded in Bankstown, where 366 voters (1.02%) voted for Reform the Legal System in the Legislative Council.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Green |first1=Antony |author-link=Antony Green |title=New South Wales Legislative Council Elections 2003 |url=https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/researchpapers/Documents/new-south-wales-legislative-council-elections-20/nswlc2003.pdf |publisher=Parliament of New South Wales |access-date=21 August 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250821015120/https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/researchpapers/Documents/new-south-wales-legislative-council-elections-20/nswlc2003.pdf |archive-date=21 August 2025 |pages=8, 43 |date=October 2003 |url-status=live }}</ref>
==See also== {{Portal|Australia|Law}} * Australian Equality Party (Marriage) * Dignity Party (South Australia) * Drug Law Reform Australia * Human rights in Australia * Law of Australia * Legalise Cannabis Australia * Voluntary Euthanasia Party
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Defunct Australian political parties}} {{New South Wales political parties}}
Category:Defunct political parties in New South Wales
{{Australia-party-stub}}