Search results

Federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner Pru Goward has today released her final paper, A Time to Value: Proposal for a national scheme of paid maternity leave.

In submitting this report I am required to make any recommendations as to actions that should be taken by governments to improve the recognition of the human rights of Indigenous people.[1] This year’s report contains 12 recommendations, which are reproduced here and discussed further in the relevant chapters.

In all cases, States should engage in ‘[a] good faith effort towards consensual decision-making’.[2] Consultation processes should therefore be framed ‘in order to make every effort to build consensus on the part of all concerned’.[3]

Pursuant to section 11(1)(f)(ii) of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1986 (Cth), I attach a report of an inquiry by the former President of the Commission into complaints made by immigration detainees against the Commonwealth of Australia. The former President found that the Commonwealth had breached the human rights of the complainants pursuant to articles 10(1) and 17(1) of…

There is no simple way to solve complex human rights issues. From the challenges that face a person with a disability seeking independent living, through to immigration detention policy, the promotion of rights and freedoms must address issues for individuals as well as the need for broader, systemic change. The Commission uses a range of integrated approaches, while also focusing on…

Welcome to the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission's Brisbane public hearing on the National Inquiry into Discrimination against People in Same-Sex Relationships: Financial and Work-Related Entitlements and Benefits.

The first twelve months of the federal government's new arrangements for the administration of Indigenous affairs has ended. The primary focus of this period has been on abolishing the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) and creating new processes to engage with local Indigenous communities and coordinate mainstream delivery of services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait…

The Commission’s vision is of and for an Australian society in which the human rights of all people are respected and promoted. Our task is to find practical, pragmatic ways to turn the rhetoric of human rights into an everyday reality for all Australians and build a more tolerant and inclusive community. As this report indicates, this past year has been a period of substantial achievement…

Dr Ozdowski has made public education on human rights a priority for his term. Other priority areas are the elderly in our ageing society and children. Dr Ozdowski is working to progress the Commission’s 2000 recommendations for alleviating age discrimination, as set out in the report Age matters: a report on age discrimination.

The Australian Human Rights Commission visited immigration detention facilities in Darwin from 6 to 10 September 2010. Click here to read a public statement outlining key observations and concerns arising from the Commission’s visit.

Discrimination: Any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference made on a particular basis such as race, religion, national origin which has the purpose or effect of denying recognition, enjoyment, or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and freedoms in society.

I would once again like to thank the Equal Opportunity Commission of Victoria for their assistance in arranging the hearings and for hosting us in their offices both yesterday and today.

Our response to the Key Issues for Comment contained in your Discussion Paper follows. You will note that throughout this document we have referred to "Advance Directives" as we feel strongly that this is a preferable term, for the reasons stated below.

The Commission would like to thank the children and young people who participated in the project and demonstrated great courage in allowing us to hear and tell their often painful and traumatic stories, in a hope that things would change for the better.