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Commission – General

Community update: COVID-19 (June 2020)

Commission News June 2020 Commissioner update COVID-19 Dear friends, The last few weeks have seen a gradual return to some of our pre-pandemic freedoms in many parts of Australia. While physical distancing remains a vital element to maintaining low infection rates, it is clear that we welcome...

Category, E bulletin
Commission – General

COVID-19's unexpected lessons

Six weeks ago I returned to my traditional homeland near Fitzroy Crossing in Western Australia. Thanks to modern technology, I am working remotely and continuing my duties as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner. Like many Aboriginal people, I chose to return to...

Category, Opinion
Commission – General

Media statement: Use of force in immigration detention

Fourteen complaints about the use of force in immigration detention form the basis for a comprehensive thematic report by the Australian Human Rights Commission tabled in Parliament today. The report considers the practices of handcuffing detainees, use of physical force within centres including arm...

Category, News
Commission – General

Royal Commission Commencement Welcomed

The Australian Human Rights Commission welcomes the commencement of the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of people with disability. The Commission also welcomes the appointment of Disability Discrimination Commissioner Alastair McEwin to the Royal Commission. The...

Category, News
Commission – General

Australian Human Rights Commission’s complaint handling jurisdiction

Civil Justice Research Conference 2019 Macquarie University, Sydney Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM [ Professor Croucher spoke to this paper] Abstract The complaint handling role of the Australian Human Rights Commission from time to time attracts some attention in the media—but not always...

Category, Speech
Sex Discrimination

Workplace Sexual Harassment Inquiry - Call for limited waiver of NDAs

Former Australian Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Kate Jenkins, is calling on Australian employers to issue a limited waiver of confidentiality obligations in non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) for the purpose of allowing people to make a confidential submission to the National Inquiry into Workplace...

Category, News
Commission – General

Finalists for 2018 Government Award revealed

Four finalists have been selected from a diverse range of nominations for the 2018 Human Rights Awards’ Government Award. This year marks the first time our Awards recognise Government as a stand-alone category. “There are many Government groups and individuals helping others overcome discrimination...

Category, News
Commission – General

Criminal record discrimination

This article by Commission President Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher was published in the Australian July 4, 2018 I recently provided a report to the Attorney-General about a man who claimed that he had been refused a job because of his criminal record. The criminal record was very serious. ...

Category, Opinion
Commission – General

Occasional Address — University of New South Wales graduation

Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM Chancellor, David Gonski AC, Dean, Professor George Williams AO, distinguished guests, graduating students and families. Graduations are such a special moment— not just in a university calendar, but also in your lives. It is significant that this occurs on the...

Category, Speech
Disability Rights

25 years of the Disability Discrimination Act

It was 25 years ago this month that the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) (the ‘DDA’) commenced operation. On 1 March 1993, Australians with a dis¬ability had a national law that was designed to provide them with equality in many areas of life. Over the past quarter of a cen¬tury, the DDA...

Category, Opinion
Commission – General

Sexual Harassment - Safer Workplaces

The Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins delivered the keynote address at the Women in Film and TV NSW - Safer Workplaces Strategies forum. Good morning everyone. I would like to begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which you meet, the Gadigal people of the Eora...

Category, Speech

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