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Rights and Freedoms
20 May 2014Opinion pieceTwitter trolls have a right to offend – but we don't have to listen
Storms on social media demonstrate we don't need laws to regulate free speech – social norms are enough Internet outrage tells us more about how we ensure civil conduct face-to-face, than how we behave online. People behave in strange ways online. But social media provides the clearest evidence of people behaving on their first instinct. All that the internet has demonstrated is there were… -
Commission – General
16 May 2014WebpageEmployees
All employees have the right to work free from sexual harassment. To help you figure out where the line is and give you some ideas about how to take bystander action if you see or hear about sexual harassment, we have developed a range of information resources as part of our Know Where the Line Is strategy. For an audio described version of the video click here. Click here to download… -
Legal
18 February 2020WebpageSubmission policy
Any public contribution to an inquiry is called a submission. Submissions are actively sought by the Commission from a broad cross section of the community, as well as those with a special interest in particular inquiries. -
15 April 2014Book page
Who we are
Australia's peak Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous health bodies, health professional bodies and human rights organisations operate the Close the Gap Campaign. The Campaign's goal is to raise the health and life expectancy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to that of the non-Indigenous population within a generation: to close the gap by 2030. It aims to… -
Rights and Freedoms
8 April 2014Opinion piece
Free speech, the public service and civilising behaviour
Before anyone screams "free speech", they should actually know what they are talking about. Earlier this week the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet released new social media protocols. The protocols limit the capacity of public servants to make statements that are "harsh or extreme in their criticism of the government, government policies, a member of Parliament from another political… -
Commission – General
31 August 2016Publication
Corporate Plan: 2016 - 2017
This Corporate Plan sets out the strategic goals and priorities of the Australian Human Rights Commission (the Commission). It creates an explicit connection between our purpose, corporate goals, operational environment, key activities and annual performance reporting. -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
23 February 2014Opinion pieceWe can't 'outsource' our moral obligations to these people
Events on Manus Island have graphically and tragically brought to the attention of the Australian public the inappropriateness of the current arrangements for the regional processing of asylum seekers. I have been troubled by the loss of life and the injury that has occurred on Manus Island over this past week, even as we wait for further information about what exactly has occurred. I am… -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
30 January 2014Opinion pieceWe need to fix the Constitution, says Social Justice Commissioner
Recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the nation’s Constitution is a waste of time, 2UE Drive host Justin Smith recently argued. There are many things the Constitution doesn’t recognise, he said, the document is dull, and we would be better off if we paid attention instead to the words we use every day. I agree with Mr Smith on one point: the Constitution isn’t a page… -
Rights and Freedoms
22 January 2014Opinion piece
Freedoms versus anti-discrimination laws? A false debate
Responsibility, anti-discrimination laws, human rights and freedoms - these words have been at the center of an ideological debate about how to protect fundamental freedoms, including freedom of speech, freedom of association and freedom from detention without trial. But if we are serious about securing these fundamental freedoms in Australian law, we must legislate to protect them, just as… -
Commission – General
22 January 2014Publication
AHRC Agency Multicultural Plan 2013-15
Multicultural access and equity policy: Respecting diversity. Improving responsiveness. -
Rights and Freedoms
20 December 2013Publication
Australia's Universal Periodic Review 2013
This report is the third in a series of annual reports that are being developed in the lead up to Australia’s second Universal Periodic Review at the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council in October 2015. Each report identifies important milestones as well as challenges that remain for the protection of human rights in Australia. -
Legal
13 December 2013Publication
Commonwealth v Australian Capital Territory [2013] HCA 55
In Commonwealth v Australian Capital Territory, the High Court held unanimously that the whole of the Marriage Equality (Same Sex) Act 2013 (ACT) (the ACT Act) was inconsistent with the Marriage Act 1961 (Cth) (the Marriage Act) and was therefore of no effect. -
Disability Rights
26 November 2013Opinion pieceWe have to stop this
“Are you talking about rape? I’ve been raped many times. You just have to get used to it.” Imagine that your daughter, sister, mother, wife, girlfriend or female friend had the grave misfortune to have this happen to her - and that this statement, thick with defeat and resignation, was her response to such a gross perpetration of violence against her. Now imagine she is in a care facility… -
Technology and Human Rights
25 September 2013Publication
Background Paper: Human Rights in Cyberspace
Learn more about how human rights are being actively engaged in digital environments and technologies. -
30 July 2013Book page
14 Your right to support when someone has died
Losing someone close is very difficult. For that reason, it is important that you are aware of the services and supports that are available when you are bereaved. This chapter provides information about the services that can assist you after the loss of a loved one. 14.1 Income support after bereavement Financial support is available to eligible people to assist with the financial adjustment… -
Sex Discrimination
22 July 2013PublicationAudit Report: Review into the Treatment of Women at ADFA
On 3 November 2011 the Report on the Review into the Treatment of Women at the Australian Defence Force Academy was tabled in the Australian Parliament. It contained 31 recommendations. This Audit has provided an important and unique opportunity to examine the extent to which these recommendations have been implemented, and to identify the further cultural reform work that should be undertaken. … -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
20 December 2017Publication
Inspection of Villawood Immigration Detention Centre Report
This report contains an overview of key observations and recommendations arising from the Australian Human Rights Commission’s inspection of the Villawood Immigration Detention Centre ("VIDC") in April 2017. -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
20 December 2017Publication
Inspection of Yongah Hill Immigration Detention Centre Report
This report contains an overview of key observations and recommendations arising from the Australian Human Rights Commission’s inspection of the Yongah Hill Immigration Detention Centre ("YHIDC") in May 2017. -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
9 July 2013Webpage
Submissions about immigration detention, asylum seekers and refugees
2015 Submission to Inquiry into the responsibilities of the Commonwealth Government in connection with the management and operation of the Regional Processing Centre in Nauru (April 2015) Submission to the Inquiry into the Migration Amendment (Maintaining the Good Order of Immigration Detention Facilities) Bill 2015 (Cth) (April 2015) 2014 Submission to the Inquiry into the Migration and … -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
8 July 2013Publication
Community Guide: UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
The Declaration is the most comprehensive tool we have available to advance the rights of Indigenous peoples.