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Rights and Freedoms
21 September 2023Media ReleaseHuman Rights Commissioner critical of COVID inquiry scope
Australia’s Human Rights Commissioner has welcomed the Federal Government’s announcement of an inquiry into Australia’s handling of the COVID pandemic but has criticised the inquiry’s terms of reference for not having a specific focus on human rights impacts and for excluding the unilateral actions of state and territory governments. Today Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed the… -
Children's Rights
25 September 2013SpeechBullying, Young People and the Law
A speech by Megan Mitchell, Children's Commissioner. Research shows that 27 per cent of young people report they are bullied every two weeks or more, and about 1 in 10 Australian people experience cyber bullying on a regular basis. -
Disability Rights
29 September 2016SpeechEqual before the law? How the criminal justice system is failing people with disability
I acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we meet and pay my respect to their elders past and present. I am delighted to be here today to deliver the 2016 Annual Costello Lecture. Last year, the President of the Australian Human Rights Commission, Professor Gillian Triggs, delivered a lecture on business and human rights, proposing that the corporate world is both a cause and… -
14 December 2012Book page
Social Justice Report 2007 - Chapter 3: The Northern Territory 'Emergency Response' intervention
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… -
Rights and Freedoms
14 December 2012Project
OPCAT: Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture
(OPCAT) is an international agreement aimed at preventing torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. -
14 December 2012Book page
Face the Facts: Introduction - rightsED
The Face the Facts education resource is designed to complement the material in the Commission's Face the Facts publication. First published in 1997, Face the Facts reflects the continued demand for accurate and easy to understand information about Indigenous peoples, migrants, refugees and asylum seekers. -
Children's Rights
21 November 2016Speech
Children's Week Address: Don't be scared - it's just information!
Introduction I would like to start by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, the Arrernte people, and pay my respects to elders past, present and future. I would also like to thank Geraldine for the Welcome to Country, and to Tiara for her fabulous emceeing here tonight. It is a pleasure to be here today to give the address at this Gala dinner in beautiful Alice… -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
14 December 2012Project
Close the Gap: Indigenous Health Campaign
Working together to achieve health and life expectation equality for Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. -
16 May 2013Book page
Chapter 4: Retention
View Chapter 4 as PDF View Chapter 4 as Word Strategies to ensure more women are not only recruited, but also retained, in non-traditional rolesThe mining, construction and utilities industries have struggled to not only attract women to apply for jobs, they have also had challenges in retaining the women who have chosen to work with them. Retaining engaged and motivated employees is vital… -
Age Discrimination
30 June 2020Opinion pieceWe can all help end elder abuse
There are no exact figures on elder abuse in Australia. There is a study underway, but we may never know the total number of older people experiencing elder abuse in this country because it often takes place in secret and behind closed doors. Current estimates from Australian Institute of Family Studies are that between 2 and 14 per cent of older Australians experience elder abuse in any… -
12 February 2013Book page
3 Promotion and protection of human rights on the ground
3.1 Equality before the law and non-discrimination A prominent theme throughout Australia’s UPR was the unacceptable level of disadvantage experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, with 50 of the countries that spoke during the interactive dialogue referring to issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. [15] Since its appearance the Australian… -
Sex Discrimination
28 January 2020Publication
Respect@Work: Sexual Harassment National Inquiry Report (2020)
Workplace sexual harassment is prevalent and pervasive: it occurs in every industry, in every location and at every level, in Australian workplaces. -
Rights and Freedoms
3 August 2023News story
Forum to end mistreatment of people with disability in detention
Learn more about the National Forum on Cruel, Degrading and Inhumane Treatment of People with Disability and Mental Health Disorders in Detention. -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
17 November 2017Speech
2017 Narrm Oration
2017 Narrm Oration Resilience and Reconstruction: the agency of women in rebuilding strong families, communities and organisations The University of Melbourne June Oscar Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Australian Human Rights Commission Thursday 16 November 2017 Acknowledgements Yaningi warangira ngindaji yuwa muwayi ingirranggu, Wurundjeri yani U… -
Rights and Freedoms
7 December 2023Media Release
Report tabled: Revitalising Australia’s commitment to human rights
Commonwealth Attorney-General, the Hon Mark Dreyfus KC MP has tabled a report by the Australian Human Rights Commission that calls for a renewed National Human Rights Framework and National Human Rights Act to better protect the rights of all people in Australia. The report, Revitalising Australia’s commitment to human rights, provides 12 recommendations to improve government accountability … -
Race Discrimination
28 October 2022News storyRace Discrimination Commissioner welcomes National Anti-Racism Strategy funding
Australia’s Race Discrimination Commissioner has welcomed the federal budget announcement that $7.5 million over 4 years will be provided to the Australian Human Rights Commission to develop a national strategy to tackle racism and promote racial equality in Australia. -
26 May 2014Speech
Changing Hearts, Changing Minds
We all share a responsibility to lead cultural change for inclusion of people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex. Building on the previous work of the Commission, I’ll be using my term as Human Rights Commissioner to ensure these issues are given national attention. It was an honour to be a keynote speaker at the Human Rights Forum of the Asia Pacific Outgames in Darwin. -
Commission – General
14 December 2012SpeechPresident Speech: ‘Women as Agents of Change’: Balancing the scales
I would like to begin by also acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. I pay my respects to their elders past and present. In particular, I would like to acknowledge the inspirational work of so many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women who have been agents of change, be they barristers, lawyers, judges, litigants or… -
14 December 2012Book page
1 Introduction and background
Between 1 September 2008 and 22 November 2011, 180 young Indonesians who said that they were children arrived in Australia, having worked as crew on boats bringing asylum seekers to Australia. These young people were often fishermen from impoverished communities in the south and east of Indonesia. Many of them have spent long periods of time in immigration detention without being charged, or… -
15 July 2014Book page
Chapter 1: How far have we come? Looking back on 20 years of the Social Justice Commissioner role
1.1 Introduction This year marks 20 years since the establishment of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner (Social Justice Commissioner) role under the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth). When I first started in this position I was asked if any of the previous Commissioners had left any words or notes of advice. I answered them ‘no, but they all…