Skip to main content

Search

Rights and Freedoms

Right to vote

The right to vote is not enjoyed equally by all Australians A healthy democracy makes sure that all members of the community have equal access to the political process. Australia is a democratic nation where governments are elected by popular vote. However, even though almost all Australians over 18...
Rights and Freedoms

Discrimination in Employment on the Basis of Criminal Record

In recent years the Australian Human Rights Commission has received a significant number of complaints from people alleging discrimination in employment on the basis of criminal record. The complaints indicate that there is a great deal of misunderstanding by both employers and people with criminal...
Rights and Freedoms

Climate Change and Human Rights

Governments have traditionally approached climate change as an ecological problem, or more recently, as an economic one. So far, the social and human rights implications of climate change have not been widely recognised. The effects of climate change may threaten a broad range of internationally...
Logo: Children in Immigration Detention
Children's Rights

National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention

The Australian Human Rights Commission’s (then known as the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission) National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention was announced on 28 November 2001. The Inquiry was conducted throughout 2002. It received over 340 submissions and visited all...
'Freedom' - child's artwork from Rural and Remote Education Inquiry
Rights and Freedoms

Rural and Remote Education Inquiry

Rural and Remote Education Inquiry The National Inquiry into Rural and Remote Education was initiated by the Commission in February 1999. The 1998 Bush Talks consultations on the human rights concerns of regional, rural and remote Australians had revealed that access to education of an appropriate...
Rights and Freedoms

Discrimination on the Ground of Trade Union Activity

Report to the Attorney-General on an inquiry by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (the Commission) into a complaint of discrimination on the ground of trade union activity under the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1986 (Cth)(the Act).
terminally ill patient
Rights and Freedoms

Human Rights and Euthanasia

Euthanasia, or voluntary assisted suicide, has been the subject of much moral, religious, philosophical, legal and human rights debate in Australia. At the core of this debate is how to reconcile competing values: the desire of individuals to choose to die with dignity when suffering, and the need...
Rural human rights
Rights and Freedoms

The Human Rights of Rural Australians

Every person in Australia, regardless of who they are or where they live, is entitled to respect for and protection of their human rights. People living in remote, rural and regional Australia often find it harder to fully enjoy their human rights because of their location.
Homeless man sleeping (c) Sonny Harlow
Rights and Freedoms

Housing, homelessness and human rights

People experiencing homelessness face violations of a wide range of human rights. Access to safe and secure housing is one of the most basic human rights. However, homelessness is not just about housing.