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I said when I first wrote inviting you to this forum that I had been receiving representations seeking action on a range of health issues for people with disabilities, including:

Perhaps it's just because I'm getting older, but I increasingly have the feeling that Australia is becoming a more sentimental and nostalgic nation. We have a Prime Minister whose vision for us is to be relaxed and comfortable. And many of us spent last night - after watching the final stages of the Australian cricket juggernaut's comprehensive winning of the ashes for the eighth time in a row -…

I'd also like to acknowledge, as I have done at similar conferences previously, what I have owed personally to people in education in NSW. Education with the support of many great education professionals together with support from family and friends to achieve my goals is why I am in the position I hold now. I compare that to the position of many blind and vision impaired people, facing over 80…

I also acknowledge ACROD Chief Executive Ken Baker; my fellow editorial advisory board members; Felicity Purdy, who I am delighted to see being recognised this evening with life membership; other distinguished guests, and all of you my fellow Australians.

I'm very pleased to be here today - not just as Disability Discrimination Commissioner but to represent the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission.

I always like to begin my presentations with a humorous anecdote or joke of some kind. For one thing, it lets me know that someone is actually listening, and it also lulls the audience into a false sense of security for the dry parts to follow. So as part of my preparation for this morning's discussion of disability discrimination law in Australia, I decided to find an answer to the important…

MATT LAFFAN: I once used to say to some mates of mine that all I really wanted was 24 hours without a disability. I just wanted 24 hours so that I could do certain things. Since then, I've got a little greedy and now I want one week. And during that one week there'd be hell to pay, because Sydney just would not be big enough. I think the night club scene would be in a world of trouble, because…

Australian Association of Graduate Employers Conference Graeme Innes AMDisability Discrimination CommissionerAustralian Human Rights Commission Friday 16 November 2012 I acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we meet today. Can you - as an employer - discriminate in favour of people with disability? The answer is a resounding yes. The race and sex discrimination acts deal…

I am not here to present South Australia's government as having achieved the last word in access and inclusion for people with disabilities, any more than this report itself seeks to claim that the task is finished.

Rights and Responsibilities: Creating Better Workplaces for all Australians

Most of you here today would know that it is not trite to say that local government is the closest level of government to our communities, and as such plays a key role in building and reinforcing the fabric of those communities.

Some of you ma have had an opportunity to attend one of the concerts by Leonard Cohen while he was on tour here recently. I've spoken with a number of people who attended one of his concerts, and without exception they say that they were some of the best concerts ever.

Allow me to begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, the Bidjigal clan of the Eora people. I also acknowledge Bryan Woodford, ACROD President; Ken Baker, ACROD Chief Executive, my fellow speakers and participants.

Graeme Innes AM Deputy Disability Discrimination Commissioner Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission 15 October 1999 Note: This is the full version of Deputy Commissioner Innes' paper, which was presented in summary form at the convention for reasons of time.