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Rights and Freedoms
4 March 2023Publication
A National Human Rights Act for Australia
Australia is the only liberal democracy in the world that does not have a national act or charter of rights that explains what people’s basic rights are and how they can be protected. -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
8 August 2023Webpage
The Uluru Statement from the Heart
The Uluru Statement from the Heart (the Statement) is an invitation from a group of First Nations people to non-Indigenous Australians. Shared in 2017, the Statement calls for substantive reform to help realise Indigenous rights, through the establishment of an Indigenous Voice to Parliament and a Makarrata Commission, to undertake processes of agreement-making (treaty) and truth-telling. -
Technology and Human Rights
27 May 2021Media ReleaseAustralians Deserve Technology that Protects Human Rights
Learn more about how ethical AI, facial recognition and biometrics technologies can embody human rights if designed and deployed appropriately. -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
4 August 2023Webpage
The Voice and human rights
The Statement of Compatibility confirms that the Indigenous Voice to Parliament Bill is consistent with the realisation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ right to self-determination, with the right to equality and non-discrimination, and promotes the right to take part in public affairs. -
Rights and Freedoms
9 August 2019Speech
Human Rights are not a foreign language
Human Rights are not a foreign language—reflections on the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM President, Australian Human Rights Commission [∗] University of Adelaide Faculty of Law Tuesday 4 September 2018 Acknowledgement I would like to begin my presentation by acknowledging the traditional custodians of this land, and to… -
Race Discrimination
27 September 2019Media ReleaseSubmission on the draft Religious Discrimination Bill
The Australian Human Rights Commission supports reform to improve protections against religious discrimination for all people in Australia. While supporting much of the draft Religious Discrimination Bill, the Commission urges that the Bill be amended to avoid limiting other human rights and overriding existing anti-discrimination laws. “The Commission has advocated for more than 20 years… -
International
5 December 2023News story
Visit of UN Special Rapporteur, Francesca Albanese
The Commission recently hosted a visit from Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967. -
Age Discrimination
8 August 2023SpeechBuilding a better cultural inheritance for an ageing Australia
Hon Dr Kay Patterson AO Age Discrimination Commissioner Keynote Address to National Press Club of Australia, Canberra Wednesday, 28 June, 2023 CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY Welcome Thank you Andrew Tillett (National Press Club Vice President) for your kind introduction. I am sometimes introduced incorrectly, but maybe more accurately, as the Ageing Discrimination Commissioner. I wish to acknowledge… -
Technology and Human Rights
13 April 2023Submission
Safeguarding the Right to Privacy
Learn more about how the human right to privacy can be protected by reforming the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). -
Race Discrimination
24 October 2023Event
Racism in Sport - Kep Enderby Memorial Lecture 2023
Join hundreds of people around the country as we gather with experts to discuss one of the most pressing issues of our time: "Racism in Sport." This webinar comes in response to the continued struggles faced by those harmed by racism in the world of sports and builds upon decades of advocacy by the Commission. -
Rights and Freedoms
17 June 2022Speech
Reflections on women and human rights
Thank you to the Lyceum Club for inviting me to speak, and to Christine Yeats and Judith White for your warm introduction. I recall that for my late mother, Dr Amy McGrath OAM, the revival of the Sydney Lyceum Club was very special. In sorting through papers of my parents, following the passing of my father, the Hon Dr Frank McGrath AM OBE, I found mother’s Lyceum Club card, membership… -
Rights and Freedoms
30 March 2019Speech
To our children’s children, the glad tomorrow
A speech by Rosalind Croucher, AM posing the question ‘what kind of Australia do we want for our children’s children?’ and using this to frame the national conversation. -
Rights and Freedoms
29 August 2019Publication
Discussion paper: A model for positive human rights reform
This paper outlines what our current system of human rights protections looks like, how it is and isn’t effective in ensuring that government respects, protects and fulfils our human rights, why reforming the current system is critical, and options for reform. -
Complaint Information Service3 February 2023Webpage
Fact Sheet: Respect@Work – Changes to the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 and the Australian Human Rights Commission Act (December 2022)
On 12 December 2022, the Anti-Discrimination and Human Rights Legislation Amendment (Respect at Work) Act 2022 (Cth) (the Act) came into effect. The Act makes important amendments to the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth) (the SDA) and the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth) (the AHRCA). These changes were recommended by the Australian Human Rights Commission (the Commission)… -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
2 August 2023Webpage
The history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples advocating for the right to be heard
There is a long history of First Nations people advocating for the right to representation and participation in decisions that affect them. The events listed are a selection of moments in history when Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have taken action to call for large-scale change by Australian governments to realise their Indigenous rights, demonstrating the history leading to the… -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
24 May 2023News story
Uluru Statement calls for First Nations’ voice in the constitution
To resounding applause, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander delegates from across the country have agreed to a landmark Uluru Statement calling for the establishment of a First Nations’ voice enshrined in the constitution. "We, gathered at the 2017 National Constitutional Convention, coming from all points of the southern sky, make this statement from the heart. "Our Aboriginal and Torres… -
Rights and Freedoms
9 July 2019Publication
Factsheet: Guide to the protections for freedom of religion (2019)
There are a number of protections for freedom of religion in Australian law. At the federal level, a person may make a complaint to the Australian Human Rights Commission or to the Fair Work Commission about discrimination on the basis of religion that occurs in the context of employment. -
Rights and Freedoms
28 July 2020Opinion piece
Wearing a mask will protect human liberties, not infringe upon them
There’s been a lot of talk, anger and resistance to the changes of our rights and freedoms as Australia deals with the COVID-19 pandemic. In some way or another, each and every one of us has encountered restrictions – on our freedom of movement, the right to peaceful protest, the ability to engage in public areas without wearing masks and the requirement to provide personal information for… -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
11 December 2019Speech
2019 ANZSOC Conference, Justice reimagined: The intersection between Academia, Government, Industry and the Community
Title: Our women have spoken: the need for strengths-based approaches to violence prevention in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities Yaningi warangira ngindaji yuwa muwayi ingirranggu, Noongar yani U. Well thank you and good morning what a gathering. Thank you to the conference organisers and the working group and for inviting me to open with this keynote address. The issues you… -
Disability Rights
1 May 2024WebpageYour rights as an employee under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth)
Learn about the Disability Discrimination Act, what you can do if you experience discrimination and how to make a complaint to the Commission.