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Rights and Freedoms
6 June 2016SpeechJessie Street Trust Annual Lunch 2016
Jessie Street Trust Annual Lunch - I am pleased to join you today to honour the work and annual birthday of Jessie Mary Grey Lillingston Street, a remarkable, and very modern Australian woman. Well before the First World War, she was an advocate for many of the social issues we care about today; equality for women, constitutional recognition of indigenous Australians, world peace and for… -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
3 August 2017SpeechKey Forum on Education, Garma Festival
Garma Festival 2017 June Oscar Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Australian Human Rights Commission Key Forum on Education Friday 4 August 2017 Acknowledgements and Intro [Introduction in Bunuba] Yaningi warangira ngindaji yuwa muwayi ingirranggu, Yolngu yani u. Balangarri wadjirragali jarra ningi – gamali ngindaji yau muwayi nyirrami ngarri thangani. Yaningi… -
14 December 2012Book page
Bringing them Home - Chapter 2
Every morning our people would crush charcoal and mix that with animal fat and smother that all over us, so that when the police came they could only see black children in the distance. We were told always to be on the alert and, if white people came, to run into the bush or run and stand behind the trees as stiff as a poker, or else hide behind logs or run into culverts and hide. Often the white… -
Commission – General
14 December 2012SpeechEnvisaging a Fairer Australia: Everyone, Everywhere, Everyday
I would like to begin by acknowledging the Kaurna peoples on whose land we meet this evening. I also thank Katrina Power for her warm welcome to country. -
14 December 2012Book page
Native Title Report 2007: Overview
The year 2007 is the fortieth anniversary of the 1967 constitutional referendum. The referendum changed the Australian Constitution however it didn’t specify directions to be taken. In many ways, it could be said that the referendum represented promises to Indigenous Australians for new ways of enjoying human rights, and promises to other Australians that Indigenous citizens could expect a… -
14 December 2012Book page
Bringing them Home - Chapter 4
From 1835, when the European occupation of Victoria commenced, until the 1880s government policy was one of segregation of Indigenous people on reserves. These were mainly controlled by missions. -
Commission – General
14 December 2012Speech
Site navigation
Set against the wreckage and the unthinkable horror of the Second World War, the Declaration was something of a phoenix rising from the ashes, a document which sought to rekindle a human dignity which had been gravely debased in the preceding ten years. -
15 July 2014Book page
Chapter 1: How far have we come? Looking back on 20 years of the Social Justice Commissioner role
1.1 Introduction This year marks 20 years since the establishment of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner (Social Justice Commissioner) role under the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth). When I first started in this position I was asked if any of the previous Commissioners had left any words or notes of advice. I answered them ‘no, but they all… -
Commission – General
14 December 2012Speech
President speeches: Protecting the human rights of Indigenous people and communities
I would like to acknowledge the Kaurna peoples, the traditional owners of the land on which we meet today, and pay my respects to their elders past and present. -
14 December 2012Book page
Commission Website: National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention
According to National Ethnic Disability Alliance (NEDA) as of 5 February 2002 there were 16 children with disabilities such as vision impairment, acute dwarfism, trauma, Perthes disease, cardiac, asthmatic and genetic disabilities residing in detention centres (Port Hedland and Woomera). This number does not include any of the detained refugees on the Pacific Islands like Nairu, Christmas Islands… -
Rights and Freedoms
14 December 2012Speech
"The rights of the child and international human rights law"
This morning I am going to talk to you about unaccompanied child migrants in the wider context of current world trends. In so doing, I have taken full account of the lessons to be learned from the experiences of the victims of British child migration schemes. -
14 December 2012Book page
Privacy - National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention
(1) For the purpose of the performance of its functions, the Commission may make an examination or hold an inquiry in such manner as it thinks fit and, in informing itself in the course of an examination or inquiry, is not bound by the rules of evidence. -
Rights and Freedoms
14 December 2012Speech
Human Rights in Contemporary AustraliaDr Sev Ozdowski (2001)
Despite its rather grand title, this presentation will be a relatively modest attempt to set out the key challenges for human rights in Australia as I see them at the outset of my term as Human Rights Commissioner. -
Rights and Freedoms
14 December 2012Speech
"Human Rights in Contemporary Australia": Dr Sev Ozdowski (2001)
Speech by Dr Sev Ozdowski at the United Nations Association of Australia - Tasmanian Branch - Human Rights Seminar: Human Rights from the Perspective of Individual, Collective and Corporate Responsibilities, Saturday 17 November 2001 -
Commission – General
14 December 2012Speech
Creating a culture of human rights compliance
Debates about a charter of rights are often monopolised by the contentious issue of the proper role of the courts. While this is undoubtedly an important question, it overlooks the impact a charter would have on the role of Parliament as a guardian of rights of freedoms. -
Rights and Freedoms
14 December 2012Speech
“Child Migrants and Human Rights in our Time”: Dr Sev Ozdowski OAM (2005)
I should add, at this point, that my work over the past few years and my inquiry on children in immigration detention (CIDI), in Australia, the report of which "A last resort?" was tabled in the Australian Federal parliament in May of 2004, has made me even more keenly aware of the fragility of child asylum seekers. But more on that later! -
14 December 2012Book page
Social Justice Report 2001: Chapter 2: Mutual obligation, welfare reform and Indigenous participation: a human rights perspective
In recent years a mutual obligation approach has been adopted to reform public policy on welfare and employment issues. There has been much discussion about the applicability of this approach within an Indigenous policy context. It is seen by many as consistent with Indigenous cultural values such as reciprocity and an emphasis on community, as well as suggesting an antidote to the damage caused… -
14 December 2012Book page
Native Title Report 2000: Appendix 3
1. The Committee considered the tenth, eleventh and twelfth periodic reports of Australia, submitted as one document (CERD/C/335/Add.2), at its 1393rd, 1394th and 1395th meetings (CERD/C/SR.1393, 1394 and 1395), held on 21 and 22March 2000. At its 1398th meeting, held on 24 March 2000, it adopted the following concluding observations. -
Rights and Freedoms
14 December 2012Speech
"Asylum Seekers": Dr Sev Ozdowski OAM (2002)
Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the Worimi people who are the traditional owners of this land and a timely reminder that we are all immigrants to this vast continent. -
14 December 2012Book page
Commission Website: National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention
1. The provisions made by Australia to implement its international human rights obligations regarding child asylum seekers, including unaccompanied minors.