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Rights and Freedoms
26 March 2014Opinion pieceFree speech is best medicine for the bigotry disease
THE proposed amendments to the Racial Discrimination Act provide the basis for correcting the legal limits of free speech, promoting pluralism, opposing reprehensible racism and highlighting the importance of responsibility. Arguably the most important change is assessing an 18C violation based on “the standard of an ordinary reasonable member of the Australian community”. Interpretations… -
Sex Discrimination
24 March 2014PublicationIt starts with us - The Leadership Shadow
Chief Executive Women and the Male Champions of Change share a common goal: to make a significant and sustainable change to the low levels of women in leadership in Australia. We are working together to identify approaches, put them into practice and disseminate those that are successful. -
11 February 2014Book page
Summary
Access to justice in the criminal justice system for people with disabilities who need communication supports or who have complex and multiple support needs (people with disabilities) is a significant problem in every jurisdiction in Australia. Whether a person with disability is the victim of a crime, accused of a crime or a witness, they are at increased risk of being disrespected and -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
10 February 2014PublicationClose the Gap - Progress and priorities report 2014
Since the first Australian Government report in 2009, the Campaign Steering Committee has provided an annual complementary 'shadow' report representing its assessment of progress, including against the COAG Closing the Gap Targets for health and life expectancy equality, and the commitments in the Close the Gap Statement of Intent. This is done in the spirit of an open and constructive dialogue… -
Children's Rights
27 February 2018Publication
Children’s Rights Report 2017
This report outlines work the National Children's Commissioner has undertaken throughout 2016-17 to promote the human rights of children and young people in Australia. This year the major project has focused on the rights and needs of young parents and their children. -
Race Discrimination
28 July 2016PublicationLeading for Change: A blueprint for cultural diversity and inclusive leadership (2016)
Leading for Change starts the conversation about improving the representation of cultural diversity within Australian leadership. It provides guidance for how organisations can nurture leadership that is fit for our multicultural society and our global economy. -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
9 January 2014PublicationThose who've come across the seas: Detention of unauthorised arrivals
HREOC’s report, tabled in federal Parliament on 12 May 1998, deals with the policy of mandatory detention of most unauthorised arrivals and the conditions of detention for those detained. The report had its origins in the many complaints received by HREOC from, or on behalf of, people in immigration detention centres. -
8 January 2014Book page
Abbreviations and Acronyms
You can view a list of abbreviations and acronyms that are used by the Commission. The list makes it easier to understand our website and publications. -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
28 November 2017Webpage
About the artwork
View about the Wiyi Yani U Thangani artwork, which depicts Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and girls and their journey to security and success. -
LGBTIQ+
18 June 2013Project
Marriage equality
The Australian Human Rights Commission considers that the fundamental human rights principle of equality means that civil marriage should be available, without discrimination, to all couples, regardless of sex, sexual orientation or gender identity. Position Paper Marriage equality in a changing world Information Sheets This information sheet gives an overview of the religious exemptions to … -
LGBTIQ+
3 March 2016Publication
Report of the Human Rights Commissioner on certain provisions of the Tasmanian Criminal Code
BACKGROUND Two sections of the Tasmanian Criminal Code (Section 122 (a) and (c) and Section 123) criminalise some forms of sexual activity between males and females and all forms of sexual intercourse between males, including all forms of sexual intercourse and at least some expressions of sexual intimacy between consenting adult homosexual men in private. Male homosexual acts between consenting… -
Rights and Freedoms
18 May 2013Webpage
The collective aspect of freedom to manifest religion or belief
Article 18 of the ICCPR explicitly includes the freedom to manifest beliefs ‘in community with others’. As prominent human rights scholar Yoram Dinstein explains: ... freedom of religion, as an individual right, may be nullified unless complemented by a collective human right of the religious group to construct the infrastructure making possible the full enjoyment of that freedom by… -
Sex Discrimination
8 November 2017Publication
Unleashing the power of gender equality (2017)
Priorities of Kate Jenkins - Australian Sex Discrimination Commissioner -
Rights and Freedoms
1 May 2013Webpage
Freedom from torture or cruel, degrading or inhuman treatment or punishment
Learn that under human rights law, no person shall be subjected to torture or subjected without free consent to medical or scientific experimentation. -
Commission – General
8 April 2013WebpageSubscribe to our mailing list
Join us in shaping a fairer Australia, where the rights of everyone are respected and upheld. Subscribe to our mailing list to join a community of human rights advocates, and stay in the loop about our: Reports, guidelines and resources Campaigns Events and training Media statements Career opportunities About us The Australian Human Rights Commission plays a unique role in protecting and… -
LGBTIQ+
29 January 2016Opinion piece
Genuine marriage equality is more than overdue
Imagine seeing the words "never married" on your new husband's death certificate. As if the grief of losing your husband while honeymooning wasn't traumatic enough. Marco Bulmer-Rizzi's husband, David, died after falling down stairs at a friend's place in Adelaide. Because South Australia doesn't recognise same-sex marriages from overseas, David's death certificate initially recorded him as … -
Legal
27 March 2013PublicationMinister for Immigration and Citizenship v SZQRB [2013] FCAFC 33
Summary: The Full Court of the Federal Court restrained the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship from removing the applicant asylum seeker to Afghanistan until his claims for protection have been assessed according to law. The Court held that the International Treaties Obligations Assessment was affected by jurisdictional error as the wrong legal test was applied and procedural fairness was… -
Rights and Freedoms
5 March 2013Opinion piece
Freedom of speech is not in danger in Australia (2013)
Freedom of speech is alive and well in Australia but, with respect to Voltaire, we will not defend to the death those who abuse this right by vilifying others in public on the ground of race. -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
11 October 2017Publication
Inspection of Maribyrnong Immigration Detention Centre
This report contains an overview of key observations and concerns arising from the Australian Human Rights Commission’s inspection of the Maribyrnong Immigration Detention Centre (MIDC) in March 2017. -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
11 October 2017Publication
Inspection of Melbourne Immigration Transit Accommodation Report (2017)
This report contains an overview of key observations and concerns arising from the Australian Human Rights Commission’s inspection of the Melbourne Immigration Transit Accommodation (MITA) detention facility in March 2017.