Skip to main content

Search

Browse News

Rights and Freedoms

Freedoms versus anti-discrimination laws? A false debate

Responsibility, anti-discrimination laws, human rights and freedoms - these words have been at the center of an ideological debate about how to protect fundamental freedoms, including freedom of speech, freedom of association and freedom from detention without trial. But if we are serious about...

Category, Opinion
Children's Rights

Young people seeking asylum – protecting their rights in Australia

Young people seeking asylum – protecting their rights in Australia Practitioners Workshop, ‘Improving Services for Unaccompanied Minors & Young People Seeking Asylum’ CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY 1. Acknowledgments Thank you, Pino, for your introduction. Thank you also to Australian Red Cross for the...

Category, Speech
Rights and Freedoms

Social Inclusion and Human Rights in Australia

Chain Reaction Foundation Breakfast Cafe KPMG Level 15, 10 Shelley Street, SydneyTuesday 20 August 20137:45am (Check against delivery) Social Inclusion and Human Rights in Australia I would like to acknowledge the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation, the Traditional Owners of the land upon which we...

Category, Speech
Rights and Freedoms

United Nations of Association of Australia National Conference

United Nations of Association of Australia National Conference Great Hall, University HouseAustralian National University, Canberra 10 August 20139.40am Professor Gillian TriggsPresident, Australian Human Rights Commission Australia and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Download slides I...

Category, Speech
Children's Rights

Children’s rights: everyone, everywhere everyday

Megan Mitchell National Children’s Commissioner Australian Human Rights Commission Castan Centre Human Rights Law Conference Human Rights 2013 The Edge, Federation Square Corner of Swanston and Flinders Streets, Melbourne Friday 26 July 2013 CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY 1. Acknowledgments Thank you...

Category, Speech
Rights and Freedoms

Freedom of Speech and giving offence: can a balance be struck?

Annual Kirby Lecture on International law: ANZSIL 2013 Thursday 4 July 20136:30 pm Finkel Theatre, John Curtin School of Medical Research,Garran Rd, Australian National University (Check against delivery) Freedom of Speech and giving offence: can a balance be struck? I was especially pleased to be...

Category, Speech
Rights and Freedoms

Speech delivered to Department of Immigration and Citizenship

Today I want to talk to you first generally about Australia’s human rights obligations, and the role of the Commission. I will then move to discuss three key human rights obligations which are relevant to decisions which some officers within the Department make every day.

Category, Speech
Rights and Freedoms

Freedom of speech is not in danger in Australia (2013)

Freedom of speech is alive and well in Australia but, with respect to Voltaire, we will not defend to the death those who abuse this right by vilifying others in public on the ground of race.

Category, Opinion
Disability Rights

Speech - iPhone or Trombone: Age or Disability Don't Have to be Barriers (2012)

Alan used to work as a civil engineer, and is a trombone player with two orchestras and two bands. He has competed in the Australian Band Championships for the last three years. He sold his soils laboratory to 'retire', and has never looked back. He still works part-time in soil testing, but as well as trombone playing he is a volunteer in a Rotary shop, walks 30-40 kilometers weekly, won a silver medal in the 10 km Road Race in the Australian Masters Games 2012, and completed a novel for pre-teens called 'Alex', designed to raise awareness about healthy lifestyles.

Category, Speech
Disability Rights

Speech - Launch of the Civil Society Shadow Report (2012)

Australia became a party to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2008. The rest of the world refers to it by the unappealing acronym of CRPD, or the Disability Convention, but I like to refer to it as the Disco. It's catchy, and it creates a great image for me of people with disability dancing, and being to go anywhere they want - although I haven't been inside a disco for many a long year.

Category, Speech

Follow us on social media

We engage in social media to promote discussion and debate on human rights issues.

Media centre

Visit our media centre for up to date contact details for all media enquiries.

Learn More