News

Commission – General

President Speech: Mandatory immigration detention of children in Australia: how far have we come and where to from here? (2010)

I knew Brad well and admired him a great deal. We met when he joined the Crown Solicitor’s Office and we worked closely together in that office for a number of years. He was appointed Crown Solicitor of South Australia when I left that position to practice at the private Bar. He was subsequently appointed Solicitor-General of South Australia, the office from which, I believe, he made his greatest contribution to Australian public law.

18 November, 2010

Commission – General

President Speech: From international principles to everyday reality: human rights education in Australia (2010)

I join with those who have spoken before me in acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, the Dharug people, and pay my respects to their elders, both past and present.

4 November, 2010

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

Towards a reconciled Australia: National Press Club speech (2010)

With respect and gratitude I acknowledge that we sit on the lands of the Ngunnawal peoples and I thank the Traditional Owners for allowing us to do so.

3 November, 2010

Race Discrimination

Still judged by skin colour (2010)

The following opinion pieces have been published by the President and Commissioners. Reproduction of the opinion pieces must include reference to where the opinion piece was originally published.

21 June, 2010

Rights and Freedoms

Opening a door on the bleak truth of homelessness (2010)

The following opinion pieces have been published by the President and Commissioners. Reproduction of the opinion pieces must include reference to where the opinion piece was originally published.

18 June, 2010

Race Discrimination

Communique 2010 - Racism, exclusion and poverty: key factors reducing international student safety (2010)

Monday, 12 April 2010 Racism, exclusion and poverty: key factors reducing international student safety On 31 March 2010, the Academy of the Social Sciences, the Australian Human Rights Commission and Universities Australia worked in partnership to plan and deliver the Racism and the Student...

12 April, 2010

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

Let's finally give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders a voice (2009)

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are not represented in our Federal Parliament. Five years ago, they ceased altogether to have a representative voice when the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) was abolished. We have suffered as a result.

18 September, 2009

Commission – General

President speech: The role of culture and human rights in promoting human development

[1] According to the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, the intangible cultural heritage (ICH) – or living heritage – is the mainspring of our cultural diversity and its maintenance a guarantee for continuing creativity. It is defined as follows: Intangible Cultural Heritage means the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills – as well as the instruments, objects, artefacts and cultural spaces associated therewith – that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage.

8 July, 2009

Rights and Freedoms

Stand on your rights, or see them trampled (2009)

Australia is a great country to live in — for most of us most of the time. We don’t suffer the terrible poverty witnessed in some parts of the world, our judicial system works well by international standards and most of us can vote in elections by secret ballot. Most of us can live pretty safely, say what we like most of the time and, if we are so inclined, practise our faith in peace. Most of us have access to decent education and health services.

18 March, 2009

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

Indigenous Studies and Indigenous Knowledge Conference

I begin by paying my respects to the Mouhenenner people, the traditional owners of the land where we gather today. I pay my respects to your elders, to the ancestors and to those who have come before us.

3 July, 2008

Rights and Freedoms

Opinion Pieces - Protecting Australians' rights (2008)

The new century has thrown up enormous challenges, as well as breathtaking opportunities to us all. One such challenge is the protection of human rights.

28 April, 2008

Rights and Freedoms

A question of human rights (2008)

As the Government points out on its Australia 2020 Summit website, the new century has thrown up enormous challenges, as well as breathtaking opportunities to us all.

17 April, 2008

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

Can the end ever justify the means?

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner and acting Race Discrimination Commissioner, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission

18 September, 2007

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

Indigenous health: real solutions for a chronic problem (2007)

I would like to acknowledge the Yolngu people on whose land we are today. I would also like to thank Charles Darwin University for inviting me to speak at this Garma festival where we celebrate the Yolngu culture and world view.

6 August, 2007

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

Addressing Indigenous health inequality within a generation – a call to action: Calma (2007)

There have been some improvements in recent years. But there is a long way to go. Indigenous peoples make gains but they are often smaller than those made by the non-Indigenous population - so the disparity in life chances remains static. In fact, there has been very little reduction in this inequality gap in Australia in the past decade.

4 April, 2007