News

Commission – General

Prevention of human rights abuses against irregular migrants: the role of National Institutions

In the age of globalisation there has been a massive increase in international migration and, as the number of international migrants has grown, so too has the problem of irregular migration. Many states have tried to stem irregular migration by introducing new border control measures and tougher criminal sanctions for people smugglers.[1] However, while effective border control is a legitimate objective of all sovereign states, state responses to the issue of irregular migration have often failed to protect the human rights of irregular migrants.[2]

24 October, 2006

Rights and Freedoms

No need to abandon human rights to be tough on terror (2006)

In the post-September 11 world, debate about counter-terrorism is often characterised as an argument between 'the realists', who appreciate the need for tough new counter-terrorism laws, and 'the out of touch', who fail to take the terrorist threat seriously.

20 September, 2006

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

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Thank you for joining me here today to launch the Social Justice Report and Native Title Report for 2005. Both reports were tabled in the federal Parliament 6 weeks ago on 14 February 2006.

31 March, 2006

Disability Rights

Mental health problem is clear, so is the solution (2005)

THE LAUNCH this week of a new report on Australia 's crumbling mental health system repeats the message that mental health consumers, their carers and their clinicians have been shouting out for years - Australia 's mental health system is in crisis.

21 October, 2005

Disability Rights

The Draft United Nations Convention on Human Rights and Disability

I do this in all my public speaking not only because it is proper to do so but because this acknowledgment reminds us that human experience has many levels of diversity, and this of course includes disability.

27 November, 2004

Disability Rights

Opportunity Knocks:Workers with a Disability

Allow me to begin by acknowledging the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, traditional owners of the land on which we meet, and pay my respects to their elders both past and present.

7 November, 2004

Rights and Freedoms

Australia's human rights obligations as part of the "coalition of the willing" (2004)

Media reports and repeated allegations of the abuse of Iraqi prisoners in US custody have raised fundamental questions about Australia's human rights obligations as part of the "coalition of the willing" .

21 June, 2004

Commission – General

Human rights education in a time of terrorism (2003)

In the newspapers of recent weeks we seem constantly confronted with similarly miserable and distressing events – a mortar attack on CARE Australia’s office in Baghdad; attacks on a synagogue and the British consulate in Istanbul; more suicide bombings in Israel.

5 December, 2003

Commission – General

Excerpt from the 2003 Mitchell Oration to be delivered by John von Doussa, QC (2003)

Plainly, there is no easy solution. There are millions of hearts to be warmed, and what works for some may have little influence on others. There must be many programs, operating on many levels and operating incrementally so as to touch the greatest possible number of people.

23 November, 2003

Rights and Freedoms

Human Rights and the War against Terrorism (2003)

"A system of tyranny, the most galling, the most horrible, the most undisguised in all its parts and attributes that has stained the page of history or disgraced the annals of the world." British Prime Minister William Pitt, 10 November 1797, speech to the House of Commons concerning France under the government of the Directory.

1 November, 2003

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

Recognising Aboriginal sovereignty-implications for the treaty process

This is an acknowledgement that has been made by many other speakers today, and to commence my presentation what I want to do is to reflect on what it means to provide such acknowledgement, because it has a lot to do with the topic for this session.

27 August, 2002

Commission – General

Occasional Address (2002)

It is an honour and a pleasure to be here today to share with you, Graduands, your families and friends, the joys of today, a day that represents the culmination of much work, learning, striving and not a little occasional frustration and anxiety. I add my very good wishes to the many that others have already conveyed.

2 April, 2002

Education

Youth Challenge Online - Teaching Human Rights and Responsibilities

May I begin by welcoming you all here today, including Senator Marise Payne who is representing the Commonwealth Attorney General, Professor Gordon Stanley, President of the NSW Board of Studies, Mr Duncan McGuiness from the NSW Parents Council and Mr Roger O'Sullivan from the Council of Catholic School Parents and Mr Kevin Bradburn from the NSW Department of Education. I also welcome the 30-odd students who have been selected to participate in this event and their teachers, and our guest speakers Mr Richard Shearman, Ms Sue Simpson and Ms Beverly Baker.

7 December, 2001

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

Moving forward - from 'practical reconciliation' to social justice

Moving forward - from 'practical reconciliation' to social justice Speech by Dr William Jonas AM, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Moving Forward: Achieving reparations for the stolen generations University of New South...

15 August, 2001

Disability Rights

Achieving equal access to telecommunications

Paper for Consumer Telecommunications Network conference, "Is the future calling: consumers and new telecommunications technologies", Sydney, 24 November 2000 David Mason, Director, Disability Rights policy, HREOC

24 November, 2000