Disability Rights
Allow me to commence by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet today, and by so doing remind ourselves that Australia's cultural traditions stretch back many thousands of years. I acknowledge also people with disabilities here together with advocates and other conference participants.
Disability Rights
Much of my mis-spent youth involved listening to rock bands. At that time the internet hardly existed, as opposed to the ubiquitous role it now plays in our lives. That's a shame for many reasons, one of them being that had it done so, I could have justified my time by contributing to www.kissthisguy.com . This is a site which lists what people thought were the words of rock songs, and then what they actually are.
Disability Rights
As Federal Acting Disability Discrimination Commissioner, I'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Victorian Government and venues that have supported the Companion Card concept.
Disability Rights
I am honoured and delighted to be here to deliver the Kenneth Jenkins Oration. My participation continues the involvement of members of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission with this event.
Legal
I am very pleased to be here talking about Human Rights and Climate Change in the first of HREOC’s seminar series celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (the ‘Declaration’).1
Rights and Freedoms
I would like to begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we stand, and pay my respects to their elders both past and present.
Rights and Freedoms
Let me start by saying that Australia is a culturally diverse society with 23% of Australians being born overseas. Amongst others, there is a sizeable Japanese community and, as you may hear from my accent, I myself was born in Poland.
Commission – General
Good morning. I would like to acknowledge the Kaurna people, the traditional owners of the land upon which we meet, and pay my respect to their elders past and present.
Commission – General
I would like to acknowledge that we are meeting on the traditional country of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation and pay my respects to their elders past and present.
Rights and Freedoms
In keeping with the focus of this agenda item on effective functioning of human rights mechanisms and national institutions I propose at the outset to briefly list some of the key areas with which the Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission has been involved over the past year. A more detailed account of those activities will be circulated. So here is an overview:
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
I would like to begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of Cairns, the land where we meet today, and to pay my respects to their elders. I would also like to thank the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists and Professor Ernest Hunter for organising this event and inviting me to open this very important conference.
Disability Rights
I want to tell you two stories about Greg. They cover different phases of his life, but illustrate the problems that face us as people with print disabilities.
Rights and Freedoms
The first program I intend to watch will not be "The Block" but a program that is screening on Channel 4 in the U.K. and on Foxtel in this country.
Disability Rights
Over the past 10 years I have been involved in developing resources and providing informal assistance to organisations developing Action Plans throughout Australia. This has included assisting in the preparation of the initial guides to developing action plans produced in 1995 and the subsequent publication Developing an Effective Action Plan produced in 1999 both of which can be found on our website at http://www.humanrights.gov.au/disability_rights/action_plans/index.html
Disability Rights
I also want to thank Bill Shorten for being with us, and acknowledge the energy and leadership he is providing on disability issues within Government, both on specific issues and on the big picture cross government and inter-governmental issues.
Visit our media centre for up to date contact details for all media enquiries.
