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Commission – General14 December 2012Speech
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I was invited to pick my own topic for discussion. As an ex-judge being invited to speak to students of the law, I assumed that I was expected to speak on something related to the administration of the law from a judge's perspective. And as President of Australia's Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC), I assumed I was expected to mention the role of human rights promotion in our… -
Legal14 December 2012Webpage
Tasmania: Charter of Rights
[1] For further discussion see John von Doussa QC, ‘In defence of human rights’, Address to the UNSW Law Society’s Speakers Forum, 24 August 2006; Commissioner Graeme Innes ‘The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission and the Protection of Human Rights at a federal level’, Address to the ANU Bill of Rights Conference. Both speeches are available at http://www… -
Commission – General14 December 2012Webpage
Links to Human Rights Organisations and Resources
This website contains links to other websites that are external to the Australian Human Rights Commission. The Commission takes reasonable care in linking websites but has no direct control over the content of the linked sites, or the changes that may occur to the content on those sites. It is the responsibility of the user to make their own decisions about the accuracy, currency, reliability and… -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice4 August 2024News story
Commissioners welcome NT Police apology to First Nations Peoples
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Katie Kiss, and the Race Discrimination Commissioner, Giridharan Sivaraman, have welcomed an apology by Northern Territory Police for historic injustices inflicted on First Nations communities. -
8 December 2020Book page
Part 1: Our women and girls' voices
Discover a national conversation on how to promote the human rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and girls and their communities. -
Children's Rights30 October 2020Media Release
Anne Hollonds commences as National Children’s Commissioner
Anne Hollonds has commenced in her role as Australia’s new National Children’s Commissioner. Commissioner Hollonds emphasised the need for greater recognition of the importance of childhood in Australia. “Childhood is quite rightly described as critically important for people's social, health and economic outcomes, but the value of childhood is not only about the future adult that a child… -
Commission – General22 May 2020Opinion piece
COVID-19's unexpected lessons
Six weeks ago I returned to my traditional homeland near Fitzroy Crossing in Western Australia. Thanks to modern technology, I am working remotely and continuing my duties as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner. Like many Aboriginal people, I chose to return to country because COVID-19 travel restrictions made homeland communities the safest place to see out the… -
Age Discrimination27 November 2019Media Release
Attorneys-General Need to Act on Elder Abuse
Age Discrimination Commissioner Dr Kay Patterson is calling on the Council of Attorneys-General to agree to take immediate action on elder abuse at their meeting tomorrow to develop a timetable outlining its action plan. “Elder abuse is a blight on our society. Older Australians do not have time on their side, they need immediate action from Governments at state and federal levels,” said Dr … -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees5 August 2020Media Release
Statement on Christmas Island immigration detention
The Australian Human Rights Commission is deeply concerned that the Australian Border Force plans to re-open the immigration detention facility at Christmas Island. The Commission has carried out inspections of Australia's onshore and offshore immigration detention facilities for many years. The Commission's advice has been consistent: Christmas Island is not an appropriate place for an -
Technology and Human Rights7 August 2024Submission
Social Media and Australian Society
Learn more about how social media platforms may pose risks to human rights in Australia. -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice9 July 2019Speech
Intervention on Deprivation of Liberty
I am Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner. I am making this statement on behalf of the Australian Human Rights Commission, Australia’s ‘A status’ NHRI.’ I begin by thanking the Australian Government for supporting my Wiyi Yani U Thangani project which is enabling Indigenous women and girls to have their voices heard at the national level for the first… -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice9 July 2019Speech
Intervention on Climate Change Impacts in the Torres Strait
I am Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner. I make this statement on behalf of the Australian Human Rights Commission, Australia’s ‘A status’ NHRI.’ I want to acknowledge the OHCHR for its report and for highlighting some of the adverse effects of climate change on Indigenous women. I would also like to acknowledge the Australian Government for… -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees26 July 2019Media Release
Transferring asylum seeker families to Nauru – human rights report
The practice of sending to Nauru families with young children who arrived in Australia seeking asylum is the subject of an inquiry report by the Australian Human Rights Commission tabled in Parliament today. [1] Mr Richard Lancaster SC, as delegate of the President, found that the regional processing centre on Nauru was not an appropriate place to send families with young children… -
Age Discrimination22 August 2022Project
Positive ageing
Having positive beliefs about ageing has been shown to be associated with better physical health, psychological wellbeing, increased longevity, and reduced dementia risk among older people. -
Rights and Freedoms11 June 2014Speech
The Forgotten Freedoms – Freedom of Religion
It is a great pleasure to deliver a Blackfriars Lecture. A few weeks ago I gave a speech to the Sydney Institute outlining the approach I plan to take to human rights as the Federal Commissioner titled ‘The Forgotten Freedoms’. In this speech I outlined that I have concerns about the key freedoms of expression, worship, association and property rights. Reasserting them will be the focus of my… -
1 August 2014Book page
Chapter 1: The case for addressing workplace discrimination related to pregnancy, parental leave and on return to work after parental leave
In summary Discrimination related to pregnancy and on return to work after parental leave is a systemic and widespread issue that places an economic impost on employers and organisations and on the Australian economy – particularly to the extent that it contributes to women’s under-participation or withdrawal from the workforce. There is a clear business imperative to address such… -
Complaint Information Service29 January 2019Webpage
Information for advocates and lawyers participating in conciliation
The Commission values the positive role that advocates and lawyers can play in conciliation. Advocates and lawyers can provide important support to parties, assist parties understand and articulate how they see the law applies to a complaint and advise parties on possible options to resolve the complaint. Conciliators at the Commission decide whether it is appropriate for an advocate or… -
14 December 2012Book page
DIAC Response to the 2011 Australian Human Rights Commission Statement on Immigration Detention in Leonora (2011)
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) Public Statement on Immigration Detention in Leonora. -
14 December 2012Book page
Annual Report 2008-2009: Appendix 6
The Commission reviews staff performance annually through its Performance Management Scheme. The Scheme provides an opportunity to set goals and priorities in line with our Strategic Plan and to assess the level of individual performance and contribution to Unit outcomes. The Scheme also provides an opportunity to identify and address learning and development needs and to plan effectively for the… -
14 December 2012Book page
Annual Report 2007-2008: Appendix 5 - Human Resources and Administrative Services
HREOC reviews staff performance annually through its Performance Management Scheme. The Scheme provides an opportunity to set goals and priorities and assess the level of individual performance and contribution to Unit outcomes.