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Rights and Freedoms
3 May 2024Opinion pieceWe need debate on sensible limits on free speech
When president Franklin D. Roosevelt gave the 1941 State of the Union address he spoke of four essential human freedoms people “everywhere in the world” ought to enjoy. The very first of these was freedom of speech and expression. Free speech was listed first because it is the bedrock of democracy. Salman Rushdie famously described it as “the whole thing, the whole ball game. Free speech is… -
Rights and Freedoms
18 November 2021Opinion piece
Loss of freedoms and rights has harmed us
OPINION November 18, 2021 Ronald Reagan famously said that “freedom is a fragile thing and it’s never more than one generation away from extinction”. For many Australians, until recently, freedom has been something we have largely been able to take for granted in our daily lives. But with millions of Australians only recently emerging from lengthy lockdowns, and every single one of us still… -
Technology and Human Rights
28 February 2024Opinion pieceLet’s not elevate brain tech over our humanity
Learn more about how Neuralink's successful implantation could raise human rights issues about neurotechnology. -
Technology and Human Rights
6 May 2024Opinion piece
Protecting Free Speech Doesn’t Mean Dismissing Online Safety
This opinion piece by Human Rights Commissioner, Lorraine Finlay, appeared in The Australian on Monday 29 April 2024. When President Roosevelt gave the 1941 State of the Union Address he spoke of four essential human freedoms that people ‘everywhere in the world’ ought to enjoy. The very first of these was freedom of speech and expression. Free speech was listed first because it is the… -
Technology and Human Rights
19 December 2023Speech
Human Rights in AI-powered Immersive Worlds
Read Commissioner Finlay's speech at Metaverse Safety Week 2023 about the importance of human rights and technology. -
Rights and Freedoms
18 March 2022Opinion piece
What is happening in Ukraine should matter to every Australian
OPINION There is almost 13,000km between Australia and Ukraine. It is literally on the other side of the world. Given the vast distances that separate us, it would be easy to claim that what happens there has nothing to do with us. That Australia should focus instead on the many challenges we face at home and leave the rest of the world to deal with their own problems. That would be a grave … -
Rights and Freedoms
18 March 2022Opinion piece
Time for review on COVID-19 border and quarantine restrictions
OPINION With the McGowan Government announcing earlier this week that the Western Australian hard border will ease on February 5, 2022, Australia is inching ever closer to border closures becoming a thing of the past. But while many of us would like this to be true, it is important to realise that we’re not there yet. While border restrictions are easing around Australia and State premiers… -
Rights and Freedoms
15 March 2013Speech
Human Rights from a religious viewpoint (with particular reference to religious liberty)
Ronald Wilson President Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission World Conference on Religion and Peace2 February 1991 Monash UniversitySpeech notes Synopsis: I. Introduction II. United Nations Charter III. The Universal Declaration 1. Place of religious freedom among human rights (a) A matter of individual opinion? (b) A social and political right IV. The 1966 Covenants Freedom of… -
Legal
14 December 2012WebpageInquiry into the effectiveness of the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth) in eliminating discrimination and promoting gender equality (2008)
(1) Support a two-stage inquiry process for the SDA, with some amendments made now to the existing law (Recommendations), and the rest completed within three (3) years (Options for Reform) -
Legal
14 December 2012Webpage
Inquiry into the effectiveness of the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth) in eliminating discrimination and promoting gender equality (2008)
(1) Support a two-stage inquiry process for the SDA, with some amendments made now to the existing law (Recommendations), and the rest completed within three (3) years (Options for Reform) -
Legal
14 December 2012Webpage
Inquest into the death of Mr Ward (2009)
the provisions of an international convention to which Australia is a party can also serve as an indication of the value placed by Australia on the rights provided for in the convention and, therefore, as indicative of contemporary values.[7] -
Sex Discrimination
5 July 2019WebpageNational Inquiry into Sexual Harassment in Australian Workplaces - Submissions to the National Inquiry
Explore the Australian Human Rights Commission’s inquiry into workplace sexual harassment and contribute to a safer, equitable work environment. -
Rights and Freedoms
3 March 2023Speech
'Reflections on women’s rights – past, present and future’
This presentation draws together reflections on women’s rights from the campaigns by the suffragists and suffragettes of the late 19th century and a consideration on how far we have come in realisation of women’s rights.