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Commission – General

Seventh International Conference for National Human Rights Institutions

Torture and various forms of terrorism have been practiced throughout history, though never on the scale we are now confronted with. The first visual records of police interrogation were discovered in a four thousand year old tomb in ancient Egypt. Since the pharaohs there have been many refinements in methods of inducing physical pain and gathering intelligence, most notably during the Spanish Inquisition, but more recently in the modern totalitarian state.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

Native Title Reform - Where should we go from here?

Launch of the Australian Law Reform Commission’s special issue of Reform 93 on ‘Native Title’ and inaugural Reconciliation Action Plan Tranby Aboriginal College, 13 Mansfield street, Glebe NSW

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

Collaborative indigenous policy development

I would also like to thank the conference organisers for two things: – firstly for inviting me to present today, and secondly, for developing a conference on such a critical but very marginalised theme on the national stage – Indigenous policy development – and how we can all do it better.

Disability Rights

Gov2.0 Roundtable on Accessibility for People with Disabilities (2009)

Last year a blind colleague of mine decided he needed a pet dog to be company for him and his teenage daughter. After checking various pet rescue websites and talking to various people, he found an 18-month-old German Shepherd / red Cattle dog cross that this bloke was giving away. He even brought the dog over in his car.

Disability Rights

Mental health and human rights in regional Australia in 2005

Mr Johnathon Ridnell, ABC Regional Radio Dr Maureen Rogers, Research Fellow, Centre for Sustainable Regional Communities Fellow speakers Ladies and gentlemen

Commission – General

INCORPORATING HUMAN RIGHTS PRINCIPLES INTO NATIONAL SECURITY MEASURES

Since the terrorist attacks on September 11 2001, Governments around the world have created a raft of new counter-terrorism laws. In Australia alone, over 40 new laws have created new criminal offences, new detention and questioning powers for police and security apparatus, new powers for the Attorney-General to proscribe terrorist organisations, new ways to control people’s movement and activities without criminal convictions, and new investigative powers for police and security agencies.

Rights and Freedoms

"Armenia to Rwanda - Genocide in the 20th Century - Has humanity learnt anything?": Dr Sev Ozdowski OAM (2004)

In so doing however I am confronted with the classic dilemma of many, namely what fresh insight can I bring to bear on this subject that has not already been canvassed.

Commission – General

Graduation Address

I speak to you now, not as the Chancellor of this University, but as the President of Australia’s national Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

Creating Futures 2010 Conference (2010)

I begin today by thanking Granny Alice Yeatman for her warm welcome to Yarrabah and paying my respects to the Traditional Owners, on whose land we meet. Good morning ladies and gentlemen, my Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander brothers and sisters, distinguished guests.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

Speeches 2007: 40 years on: what does the ‘Yes’ vote mean for Indigenous Australians?

Anglicare, Tasmania Annual Social Justice Lecture 22 August, 2007 TOM CALMA Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner National Race Discrimination Commissioner Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

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I would like to begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of Cairns, the land where we meet today, and to pay my respects to their elders. I would also like to thank the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists and Professor Ernest Hunter for organising this event and inviting me to open this very important conference.

Disability Rights

Disability discrimination and insurance

Australian Life Underwriters Association and Claims Association conference 5 November 2000 Graeme Innes AM Deputy Disability Discrimination Commissioner

Disability Rights

Accessible Procurement: A Market Driven Approach Which Benefits All Australians

Some of you might recall media coverage regarding a young man undergoing cancer treatment who was required to attend a job capacity assessment the day he got out of hospital, to establish his entitlement to disability support payments.

Disability Rights

Launch of ABC Disability Awareness resources: An ABC for all Australians

Tonight's ceremony is, in part, a belated celebration of the recognition of the ABC as national award winner in the Prime Minister's Employer of the Year awards for 2000.

Sex Discrimination

Ausyouth Conference 2001

The creation of Ausyouth is an initiative that clearly picks up on the real-life needs of today's youth, an initiative that has the potential to foster the building blocks of a progressive caring society, and from a human rights perspective, it's an initiative that addresses some of Australia's obligations with respect to international instruments, to which we as a nation are committed.