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I would like to begin by acknowledging the traditional custodians of the land upon which we meet, the Gadigal peoples of the Eora nation, and pay my respects to their elders, past, present and future.

Disability Rights

Education and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Des English Memorial Lecture

On 30 March 2007 I was waxing lyrical to my computer screen in Sydney. My words were not quite the same, but they had equal passion and determination. At 1.40 a.m. on that Saturday morning Sydney time, I was having a few glasses of wine and watching Australia line up with 80 other countries at the United Nations (UN) in New York, to sign that same Convention on the first day it was open for signature—via podcast to my computer screen. It was Friday New York time.

Disability Rights

Australian Institute of Building Surveyors Conference

I would like to start by thanking Bill Burns and the NSW AIBS for this invitation to address your annual conference on an issue that over the next few years is going to see significant changes in the way we design, construct and manage the buildings we use for work, education, entertainment and service delivery.

Disability Rights

Round Table on Information Access For People with Print Disabilities

One day a few years ago I went in to wake my son. I told him that it was good to get up in the morning, to which he grumpily replied, "yes, but dad, it's even better to stay in bed".

Commission – General

Keynote address to the Victoria Legal Aid Civil Justice Law and Practice Conference

I would like to begin this morning by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation. I pay my respects to their elders past and present.

Legal

Human Rights and Climate Change: A Tragedy in the Making - Hon John von Doussa QC

I am very pleased to be here talking about Human Rights and Climate Change in the first of HREOC’s seminar series celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (the ‘Declaration’).1

Rights and Freedoms

DIALOGUE AUSTRALASIA NETWORK NATIONAL CONFERENCE

I would like to open today by reading you part of an e-mail that a work colleague of mine received recently from a young Australian woman in her early twenties, who recently completed her Bachelor of Communications degree from UTS in Sydney. As it happens she also holds Polish citizenship and is currently visiting her grandparents in Warsaw.

Rights and Freedoms

Rights for all: Building inclusive communities for all generations Chris Sidoti (1999)

Thank you to the Public Health Association for inviting me to deliver the Sax Oration this year. I am honoured to follow so many distinguished speakers who have delivered the oration over the years. I am honoured too to be able to commemorate the work of Sidney Sax, one of the most significant people shaping health care policy and practice in Australia.

Commission – General

20 Years of Mandatory Immigration Detention: the imperative for community-based arrangements for those who seek Australia’s protection

Thank you for your kind introduction. I wish to start today by acknowledging the Kaurna People of the Adelaide Plains, the traditional owners of the land on which we are meeting. On behalf of the Australian Human Rights Commission, I pay my respects to their elders past and present.

Commission – General

President speech: Keynote address to VIEW Clubs of Australia

Good morning. I would like to acknowledge the Kaurna people, the traditional owners of the land upon which we meet, and pay my respect to their elders past and present.

Commission – General

Launch of the Supreme Court Equal Treatment Benchbook

When I first entered the law 'benchbooks' were closely guarded, leather bound books into which judges carefully entered notes as a case progressed - usually I thought adverse comments and exclamation marks about one's arguments or less than flattering remarks about one's principal witness. These books seemed to be some kind of secret code to the outcome of cases and never saw the light of day.

Commission – General

A Revitalised National Human Rights Framework for Australia

Marking the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Fraser Oration Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM FAAL FRSA FACLM(Hon) Introduction Vice-Chancellor, Duncan Maskell, Dean Matthew Harding, Mrs Tamie Fraser and the Fraser family, Melbourne Law School staff, distinguished...

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

Our Right to Protect our Knowledge

I begin by paying my respects to the Ngunnawal peoples, the traditional owners of this land. I pay my respects to your elders, past, present and future.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

Valuing and Protecting Diversity

In his introduction to the announcement of the 2020 summit the Prime Minister was succinct in his diagnosis of the challenges we face as a nation in today’s global community. He says and I quote

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

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I would like to begin by acknowledging all the traditional owners of the land where we meet, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. Thank you Megan Davis for your welcome and for inviting me to be here today.