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14 December 2012Book page
AusHRC 56: Sri Lankan refugees v Commonwealth of Australia (Department of Immigration & Citizenship)
2012 Sri Lankan refugees v Commonwealth of Australia(Department of Immigration & Citizenship) Report of an inquiry into complaints by Sri Lankan refugees in immigration detention with adverse security assessments Report into arbitrary detention and the best interests of the child [2012] AusHRC 56 Download in PDF [423 KB] Download in Word [2.05 MB] -
Commission – General
14 December 2012WebpageOur Work
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13 April 2015Book page
Our leadership team
The work of the Commission is led by a President and Commissioners: Emeritus Professor Gillian Triggs President Mick Gooda Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Megan Mitchell National Children’s Commissioner The Hon Susan Ryan AO Age and Disability Discrimination Commissioner Tim Wilson Human Rights Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick Sex Discrimination Commissioner… -
27 March 2015Book page
5 Next steps – future areas of work
Based on the outcomes of Rights & Responsibilities 2014, the Human Rights Commissioner will prioritise the following areas of work in relation to human rights over the next four years: Freedom of expression: the Commissioner will continue to explore potential reforms in relation to current laws that restrict the right to freedom of expression. Religious freedom: the Commissioner will… -
16 July 2014Opinion piece
Corporate Australia should act on Thorpe's challenge - Opinion piece
The legacy of Ian Thorpe’s “coming out” is whether corporate Australia will dispel the myth that it won’t support gay and lesbian Australians reaching their full potential, says Human Rights Commissioner, Tim Wilson, in an opinion piece first published in The Australian. Ian Thorpe won the Australian Human Rights Commission's Human Rights Medal in 2012. View the news story from the… -
Employers16 March 2015Project
Good practice, good business
Free employer resources to promote diversity and prevent workplace discrimination -
Employers19 February 2015Quick Guide
Transgender
People who are transgender are protected from discrimination by law. The Sex Discrimination Act makes it unlawful to treat a person less favourably than another person in a similar situation because of the gender-related identity, appearance, mannerisms or other gender-related characteristics of the person. Example: A shop assistant refused to serve a person who identifies and presents as a… -
Employers19 February 2015Quick Guide
Trade Union Activity
It can be discrimination when a person does not experience equal opportunity in employment because of his or her activity in a trade union. This includes being refused a job or dismissed from a job, being refused a promotion, transfer or other benefit associated with employment, given unfair terms or conditions of employment, being refused training opportunities, being refused flexible work … -
Employers19 February 2015Quick Guide
Religion
Discrimination in employment on the basis of religion occurs when someone does not experience equality of opportunity in employment because of their religion. This may include being refused a job, being dismissed from employment, being denied training opportunities or being harassed at work. Discrimination on the basis of religion alone is not unlawful under federal anti-discrimination law … -
Employers18 February 2015Quick Guide
Police Checks
An employer may be obliged to conduct a police check where there is a legal requirement that an employee or job applicant should not have a certain criminal record. However, an employer should only ask job applicants and employees to disclose criminal record information if certain criminal convictions or offences are relevant to the inherent requirements of the job. Asking an applicant or… -
Employers18 February 2015Quick Guide
Lesbian
Lesbians are protected from discrimination by law. The Sex Discrimination Act makes it unlawful to treat a person less favourably than another person in a similar situation because of her sexual orientation. There are some limited exemptions. Same-sex couples are also protected from discrimination under the definition of ‘marital or relationship status’ in the Act. Example: A company policy… -
Employers18 February 2015Quick Guide
Job Sharing
Job sharing is a flexible work arrangement where one job is done by more than one person. It can be an option if employees want to work part-time but the job that is available needs to be worked on a full-time basis. Example: One employee works part-time and does the job on Monday and Tuesday and another employee does the same job, also working part-time, on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday… -
Employers18 February 2015Quick Guide
Laws
The following federal anti-discrimination laws protect people from discrimination and harassment: Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth) Age Discrimination Act 2004 (Cth) Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth) Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth) Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) Federal discrimination laws prohibit discrimination in different areas of… -
Employers18 February 2015Quick Guide
Human Rights
Human rights are based on the principles of dignity, equality and mutual respect. Human rights recognise the inherent value of each person, regardless of their background, where they live, what they look like, what they think or what they believe. People’s human rights are respected when they are treated fairly and have the ability to make genuine choices in their daily lives. The operations… -
Employers18 February 2015Quick Guide
Immigrant Status
It is against the law to discriminate against a person because that person is or has been an immigrant. There are some limited exceptions. Discrimination on the basis of immigrant status occurs when a person is treated less favourably, or not given the same opportunities as others in a similar situation, because of their immigrant status. This does not mean that an employer has to employ… -
Employers18 February 2015Quick Guide
Family Responsibilities
It is against the law for employers to discriminate directly against a person because of their responsibilities to care for a family member. This includes caring for a spouse or de-facto partner, child, grandchild, brother, sister, parent or grandparent. There are some limited exemptions. Discrimination happens when a person is treated less favourably than another person in the same or… -
Employers18 February 2015Quick Guide
Gay
People who are gay, lesbian or bisexual are protected from discrimination by law. The Sex Discrimination Act makes it unlawful to treat a person less favourably than another person in a similar situation because of their sexual orientation. There are some limited exemptions. Example: It may be discrimination for an employer not to promote an employee to a more senior role because he is gay… -
Employers13 February 2015Quick Guide
Breastfeeding
It is against the law to discriminate against women who are breastfeeding. This includes women who need to express milk by hand or using a pump. There are some limited exemptions. Discrimination happens when a woman is treated less favourably because she is breastfeeding or needs to breastfeed over a period of time. It is also discrimination when there is an unreasonable requirement or… -
6 February 2015Book page
Appendix 9 – Acknowledgements
President Professor Gillian Triggs Commissioners Megan Mitchell, Tim Wilson Inquiry team Fabienne Baldan, Prabha Nandagopal, Sarah Dillon, Annabel Pope, Maria Katsabanis, Akhil Abraham Part-time assistance to the Inquiry Anna Nelson, Shyamika Peeligama, Ting Lim, Loki Ball, Darren Dick, Padma Raman Legal Graeme Edgerton Media Sarah Bamford Website Leon Wild, Matthew Bretag, Jaejin Fisher… -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
13 February 2017Opinion pieceProtecting refugees
As recent reports allege asylum seekers are being removed from Manus Island and returned to their place of origin, Commission President, Professor Gillian Triggs, reflects on the nation's responsibilities.