The Magna Carta and Me: Why This 800-Year-Old Document Still Matters Today

Part 1 of a 10-Part Series on Liberty, the Rule of Law, and the Modern Workplace

In the year 1215, on a waterlogged field in Runnymede, a rebellious group of barons compelled King John of England to affix his seal to a document that would change the course of legal and political history: the Magna Carta. It was not drafted with ordinary people in mind, nor did it imagine a world of fair workplaces, equal opportunity, or human rights. And yet, this single parchment laid the groundwork for everything that followed—liberty, the rule of law, and accountability of power.

Magna Carta

As someone who advocates for workers, for the vulnerable, and for fairness under the law, I’ve always seen the Magna Carta not just as a historical document, but as a living legacy. Its ideas continue to echo through every piece of legislation that aims to prevent the abuse of power—whether by a monarch, a government, or an employer.

This blog series is a reflection of that legacy. Over the next ten posts, I’ll explore what the Magna Carta stood for, how it has evolved, and why its spirit still resonates in modern Australia—particularly in employment and human rights law.

So, what was the Magna Carta?

At its most basic, the Magna Carta was a peace treaty. King John, unpopular and arbitrary, had pushed his barons too far. They were taxed without consent, punished without reason, and locked out of justice. The charter they forced upon him set out, among other things, that no one—including the King—was above the law.

Of its 63 clauses, only a handful remain legally significant. But the ideas embedded in it—due process, legal accountability, and the rejection of arbitrary power—are priceless. They are the bones of every democratic system of law, including ours.

Why should we care in 21st century Australia?

Because injustice isn’t historical. It’s happening every day.

When a worker is terminated without explanation…

When a person is denied a fair hearing at work…

When bureaucratic processes are used to shut someone out rather than lift someone up…

We are still fighting the same fight

Australia’s Fair Work Act 2009, our human rights legislation, our anti-discrimination protections—all of these owe a conceptual debt to the Magna Carta. These laws serve as modern restraints on power and as safeguards of liberty.

As a professional advocate, I have sat beside countless individuals who were treated unfairly—sometimes unlawfully—but always unjustly. Whether it’s a public servant with a clean record pushed out under a false restructure, or a retail worker bullied by a manager with unchecked authority, their experiences reaffirm the need for procedural fairness, equality before the law, and accessible justice.

What this series will explore

Over the coming weeks, I’ll explore how a medieval document continues to inform modern Australian law, with a particular focus on employment and human rights. The ten parts will include:

1. The Magna Carta: Origins, Purpose, and Context (this post)

2. The Rule of Law and Equality Before Power

3. Natural Justice and Procedural Fairness in the Workplace

4. Speaking Truth to Power: Early Protections for Petition and Protest

5. From Tax Consent to Enterprise Bargaining

6. Habeas Corpus and Protection from Arbitrary Suspension

7. Accountability in Hierarchies: From Kings to CEOs

8. Access to Justice: Not Just a Legal Concept

9. Magna Carta and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

10. Australia’s Future: Defending Rights in a New Century

This isn’t just history. This is now.

The Magna Carta reminds us that law is not just about order—it is about fairness. It is a collective agreement that power must have limits, and that those who are vulnerable should have access to remedy.

Through this series, I hope to reflect not only on where our rights came from, but also where they are going—and how we can ensure that, 800 years from now, someone else is still writing about a society that values justice over might.

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Written by Brian AJ Newman, LLB

Advocate for Justice, Equity and Fairness.

Visit www.bajn.au to follow the series.