President Speech: Religion in the public square
I would like to begin today by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, the Wurundjeri peoples, and pay my respect to their elders, past and present.
I would like to begin today by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, the Wurundjeri peoples, and pay my respect to their elders, past and present.
Tuesday, 20 July 2010 The Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Elizabeth Broderick, has appeared before the United Nations Committee on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women in New York this week. Enshrined within the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of...
I would like to begin by saying how delighted I am to be here speaking this evening about the work of the Australian Human Rights Commission. I hope also to learn more about the protection of human rights in Japan and about your proposal for a national human rights institution in Japan. This is my first time to Japan and I am thrilled to be here. I am grateful for all the work that has gone into the preparation for this session and for my visit. And I thank those who have looked after me so well since I arrived in your country.
Monday, 12 April 2010 Racism, exclusion and poverty: key factors reducing international student safety On 31 March 2010, the Academy of the Social Sciences, the Australian Human Rights Commission and Universities Australia worked in partnership to plan and deliver the Racism and the Student...
May I begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, the Gadigal people of the Eora nation and the Darug language group. I also pay my respects to all Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders present today.
[1] According to the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, the intangible cultural heritage (ICH) – or living heritage – is the mainspring of our cultural diversity and its maintenance a guarantee for continuing creativity. It is defined as follows: Intangible Cultural Heritage means the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills – as well as the instruments, objects, artefacts and cultural spaces associated therewith – that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage.
Killing and physical violence, exclusion from families and local communities, bullying at school and in the workplace – these are all experiences of gay, lesbian and gender diverse people in various parts of the world.
Australia is a great country to live in — for most of us most of the time. We don’t suffer the terrible poverty witnessed in some parts of the world, our judicial system works well by international standards and most of us can vote in elections by secret ballot. Most of us can live pretty safely, say what we like most of the time and, if we are so inclined, practise our faith in peace. Most of us have access to decent education and health services.
In 2006, I was a member of the Government-appointed Sheller Committee, which recommended the establishment of an independent review of counter-terrorism laws.
Five years ago I began my term as the President of the Australian Human Rights Commission, confident in the ability of the common law and a robust democracy to protect human rights. I leave convinced we need a major legal and cultural overhaul in order to deal with the human rights challenges of the 21st century.
Note: Hon. John von Doussa, term as President ended in October 2008. The Hon. Catherine Branson was appointed President of the Australian Human Rights Commission on 7 August 2008 for five year term.
I begin by paying my respects to the Mouhenenner people, the traditional owners of the land where we gather today. I pay my respects to your elders, to the ancestors and to those who have come before us.
The new century has thrown up enormous challenges, as well as breathtaking opportunities to us all. One such challenge is the protection of human rights.
As the Government points out on its Australia 2020 Summit website, the new century has thrown up enormous challenges, as well as breathtaking opportunities to us all.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner and acting Race Discrimination Commissioner, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
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