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10 April 2015Book page
2 Background and framework for promotion and protection of human rights
2.1 Scope of international obligations 2.2 National framework 2.3 Equality before the law and non-discrimination 2.4 Migrants, refugees and asylum seekers 2.5 Right to life, liberty and security of the person 2.1 Scope of international obligations Australia prides itself on its commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights and has announced its candidacy for election to the… -
14 December 2012Book page
Summary of Observations following the Inspection of Mainland Immigration Detention Facilities (2006)
The following notes are a brief summary of the observations made by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission’s (HREOC) President, Human Rights Commissioner and staff. HREOC emphasises that these summary notes and recommendations are based solely on what we personally observed and heard from staff and detainees during our visits. -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
9 July 2013WebpageChildren in immigration detention page
Learn how the majority of children in immigration detention arrived in Australia by boat and that many came with family members but some arrived alone. -
14 December 2012Book page
Bringing them home - 8. History - Northern Territory
Note: This overview is based primarily on the Bringing them home report and provides a background to the policies and practices that authorised the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families. It is not intended to be used as a comprehensive historical document. -
14 December 2012Book page
A Bad Business - Part A: Background
Sexual harassment has been unlawful across Australia for almost twenty years with 2004 marking the twentieth anniversary of the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth) (Sex Discrimination Act). [2] Over that period, community awareness of the existence of sexual harassment, particularly in the area of employment, has grown considerably. -
Commission – General
14 December 2012SpeechAddress to the Executive Council of Australian Jewry Annual Conference
A little over a month ago, I started as the new President of the Australian Human Rights Commission, ending my time as a judge of the Federal Court of Australia. -
Commission – General
14 December 2012Speech
Presentation at the Governor’s Leadership Foundation Forum
HREOC is a statutory body independent of government. While our main function is to promote an understanding and acceptance of human rights in Australia, we are also charged with the responsibilities of investigating, and attempting to conciliate complaints of unlawful discrimination under the federal Racial Discrimination Act 1975, the Sex Discrimination Act 1984, the Disability Discrimination… -
Legal
14 December 2012WebpageVillawood
1. The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (the Commission) welcomes the opportunity to make this submission to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works (the PWC) on the Villawood Immigration Detention Centre Redevelopment Project. -
Rights and Freedoms
14 December 2012SpeechHuman Rights, Governance and Decision Making
Good morning, and thank you for the opportunity to speak at this conference. I'm very pleased to be here. Firstly as a senior Commonwealth public servant not based in Canberra I immediately warm to this forum. The challenges of interacting with, and learning from, our colleagues are increased greatly by the fact that we aren't located in the city viewed by most commonwealth public servants as… -
Disability Rights
14 December 2012Speech“Access to the arts: Being Discriminating rather than Discriminatory"
Take a piece of canvas, some chicken wire, paint and plastic, and put them together so that they resemble a potato cooked in its jacket. Mount the whole thing on a block of wood, add a label that says "baked potato with butter" and what have you got? You've got a famous example of Pop Art. The collector who bought it is alleged to have remarked, "pop is the art of today, tomorrow… -
14 December 2012Book page
Questions and answers on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2009)
On Friday 3 April 2009, the Australian Government will make a statement in support of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. This will reverse Australia’s previous opposition to the Declaration. Under the Coalition Government, Australia was one of four countries that voted against the Declaration when it was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in… -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
14 December 2012SpeechSite navigation
I’d like to begin by acknowledging the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation on whose land we are today and pay my respects to their elders. I’d like to thank the organisers for inviting me to speak, and I would like to acknowledge you, the Aboriginal field staff. You have an important role and I pay tribute to you and your work. -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
14 December 2012Speech
Launch of the Social Justice Report (2006)
Good afternoon, as a Kamilaroi woman I would firstly like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land we meet on today, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation and pay my respects to Uncle Charles for his welcome and acknowledge the elders past and present. -
Disability Rights
14 December 2012Speech
Software Accessibility: It's Everybody's Business
I suppose we all have things we've passionate about - causes that we'd be prepared to die for, issues that give us the will to carry on in the face of criticism and ridicule. -
Disability Rights
14 December 2012Speech
Making rights relevant
Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you today. Whilst planning this speech, I was thinking that it was a long time since the first time that I addressed an NDS (then Acrod) conference. I was asked to give the Kenneth Jenkins memorial oration at the Acrod conference in the early 80s, as the first President of DPI Australia. The speech then was just the type that you would expect from the… -
14 December 2012Book page
Social Justice Report 2006: Chapter 4: International developments on the rights of indigenous peoples – Closing the ‘protection gap’
In recent years there have been significant developments at the international level that impact upon the recognition and protection of the human rights of indigenous peoples. Most notably, there have been: i) reforms to the machinery of the United Nations (UN) and the emphasis given to human rights within that system; ii) the making of global commitments to action, through the Millennium… -
14 December 2012Book page
2009 Immigration detention and offshore processing on Christmas Island
This report contains a summary of observations by the Australian Human Rights Commission (the Commission) following its July 2009 visit to Australia’s immigration detention facilities on Christmas Island. It follows the Commission’s 2006, 2007 and 2008 annual reports on inspections of immigration detention facilities.[1] -
14 December 2012Book page
20 Years on: The Challenges Continue - Chapter 1
The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission ("HREOC") is an independent statutory authority established under the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1986 (Cth). It has a variety of functions and powers to promote and protect the human rights of all people in Australia. HREOC administers the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth) ("SDA"). Sexual harassment is a… -
14 December 2012Book page
Social Justice Report 1998 : Appendix 2: Selected Inventory of Apologies and National Sorry Day Events
Politicians, church leaders, community members and the local Aboriginal community gathered in Peace Park yesterday for 'Sorry Day', organised by local members of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation. -
Legal
14 December 2012Webpage
National Human Rights Consultation - Appendix 5
The Commission conducted a series of national workshops in each state and territory to support community sector engagement in the Consultation. The workshops included general community sector organisation workshops as well as some sector-specific workshops and briefing sessions with refugee groups, disability groups and Indigenous groups. The Commission also conducted workshops aimed at community…