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A stable and enduring basis for a dynamic and long term relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people over land is emerging through negotiation and agreement-making. Native title agreements are increasingly seen as an important tool in defining the rights of native title holders over their land. But here, as in other aspects of native title, there is concern that there are currently…

Last year’s Social Justice Report noted that to date there has been insufficient attention by governments to processes which ensure greater Indigenous participation and control over service design and delivery as part of an overall strategy to redress Indigenous disadvantage and economic marginalisation. I observed that:

back to contents Chapter 5: Addressing family violence in Indigenous communities There is no issue currently causing more destruction to the fabric of Indigenous communities than family violence. This has been acknowledged by all levels of government in recent years, with a number of significant inquiries and initiatives undertaken or commenced at the federal, state and territory level to address…

On 21 June 2007, the Australian Government announced a ‘national emergency response to protect Aboriginal children in the Northern Territory’ from sexual abuse and family violence.[1] This has become known as the ‘NT intervention’ or the ‘Emergency Response’. The catalyst for the measures was the release of Report of the Northern Territory Board of Inquiry into…

Obligations to ensure effective participation exist in nearly all the main human rights treaties. These obligations have been synthesised into the principle of free, prior and informed consent of indigenous peoples.

Human rights principles require that Indigenous people's relationships to land, based on traditional laws and customs, be given legal recognition and protection. International legal principles also recognise that Indigenous peoples have economic, social and cultural human rights. Native title, as it is constructed through the Australian legal system, has a limited capacity to meet these human…

There is an urgent need for sound policy in Indigenous affairs. Chapter 1 of the Social Justice Report 2006 considers what some of the key elements of good Indigenous policy making are.

The framework of principles presented in chapter 2 of this Report puts the economic and social development of the traditional owner group at the centre of the native title process. It seeks to build the power and capacity of the traditional owner group to direct and achieve its own economic and social development. It sees the native title system as a tool to assist traditional owners in this…

This appendix contains the survey form that my Office compiled and sent to all Indigenous communities and organisations that had entered into a Shared Responsibility Agreement (SRA) with the federal government by 31 December 2005. By this date 108 SRAs had been finalised, and they involved 124 communities.

* When complaints under the Racial, Sex and Disability Discrimination Acts are terminated, the complainant may apply to have the allegations heard and determined by the Federal Court or the Federal Magistrates Service.

This report has focused on proposals for the leasing or alienation of Indigenous land, with a specific focus on the Indigenous Land Tenure Principles released by the National Indigenous Council (NIC). The purpose of this Chapter is to discuss these Principles from a human rights perspective, with a particular focus on the right to development.

A central function of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission is to undertake education programs that increase public awareness and generate discussion of human rights and anti-discrimination issues within Australia.

When it comes to ‘good policy’ in Indigenous affairs, a core requirement is the effective participation of Indigenous peoples in all decisions that impact on their lives. In practice, this means governments have a responsibility to actively involve Indigenous peoples in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies that affect them, and to make the necessary…

a) Do Indigenous peoples have a right to self-determination? b) What is Indigenous self-determination? c) Summary - Defining Indigenous self-determination

Media Pack: PROGRESS IN ADDRESSING INDIGENOUS DISADVANTAGE – HEALTH STATUS LIFE EXPECTANCY Life expectancy for Indigenous females declined slightly from 1997 - 2001 to 62.8 years. This rate is lower than the life expectancy rate for females in India and sub-Saharan Africa (with the impact of HIV-AIDs factored out).The gap with non-Indigenous female life expectancy increased from 18.8 to 19.6…

Introduction Part A: Structure of this report Part B: Summary of findings and recommendations Part C: The complaints by Mr El Masri Part D: The Commission’s human rights inquiry and complaints function Part E: Mr El Masri’s detention from 14 November 2002 to 14 October 2005 Part F: The detention of Mr El Masri on 28 November 2006 Part G: The detention of Mr El Masri in MSU Part H: Use…

We have statutory responsibilities under these laws, including to investigate and conciliate complaints of alleged discrimination and breaches of human rights recognised under international conventions to which Australia is a party and to promote and protect these human rights generally.