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Children's Rights
27 July 2021Opinion pieceProtect children from data surveillance
Even before birth, Australian children are the targets of technology that collects their data and threatens their privacy – but right now we have an opportunity to protect them and future generations. Parents who use pregnancy apps or share ultrasounds on social media can expect information about their children to be collected and sold to advertisers for profit. Once a child is born, baby… -
Age Discrimination
5 February 2024News story
Commission welcomes new Age Discrimination Commissioner
Find out about the newly appointed Age Discrimination Commissioner Robert Fitzgerald AM. A respected lawyer and leading figure in the anti-discrimination space. -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
16 June 2020SubmissionMigration Amendment (Prohibiting Items in Immigration Detention Facilities) Bill 2020
The concerns outlined in this submission draw on the Commission’s work inspecting Australia’s immigration detention facilities. The Commission has conducted such inspections since the mid-1990s. -
Age Discrimination
15 June 2023Media Release
New multicultural education campaign seeks to reduce elder abuse via later life planning
A new education campaign is urging older Australians from a range of culturally diverse backgrounds to safeguard themselves against elder abuse by organising their wills, enduring powers of attorney and other important legal documents. Launching on this year’s World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, the Have You Thought About Later Life? campaign has been produced by the Australian Human Rights -
14 April 2022Conciliation register
2021-02-08
The complainant purchased some items at an outlet of the respondent charity. He claimed a store attendant asked him where he was from. He alleged that when he informed her he was from China, she made comments to the effect that 'the Chinese are doing lots of nasty things to the world' and 'Chinese are disgusting'. The respondent charity said the person involved had a different recollection… -
8 April 2022Conciliation register
2020-04-02
The complainant was 69 years of age and has osteoarthritis. He said his local supermarket changed its payment policy to only allow payment by credit or debit card. He alleged this practice was discriminatory because older persons and persons with disability were more likely to experience difficulties in obtaining and using credit and/or debit cards. The respondent supermarket advised it… -
Rights and Freedoms
3 April 2024Media ReleaseMichael Kirby on board for historic human rights forum
Esteemed international jurist, human rights advocate and former Australian High Court judge Michael Kirby is one of several new speakers and panellists who have been announced as participants in the Free + Equal Human Rights Conference during this year’s Vivid Sydney festival. Justice Kirby will join the line-up for the Rights On Time show on the evening of Thursday 6 June in the Hyatt… -
Race Discrimination
30 September 2024WebpageUnderstanding racism
Racial discrimination profoundly affects lives. Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islanders, and people from -
Age Discrimination
30 September 2020Media Release
Commission launches elder abuse awareness campaign
The Australian Human Rights Commission has launched an elder abuse awareness campaign on the International Day of Older Persons (1 October 2020). The campaign includes a hard-hitting video that reveals the ‘red flag phrases’ that can often indicate an older person is experiencing elder abuse. Pre-COVID-19, the Australian Institute of Family Studies said it was likely that between 2% and 14%… -
8 April 2022Conciliation register
2020-10-08
The complainant’s son has fragile X syndrome and an intellectual disability and needs assistance when handling money, paying bills and accessing his bank account. The complainant had been assisting her son with his banking at the respondent bank and claimed the bank told her that third-party authorisation would continue after he turned 18. She alleged that when her son turned 18, the bank… -
Disability Rights
19 July 2019SpeechThe critical task of changing community attitudes towards disability
The following speech was an opening presentation delivered by Disability Discrimination Commissioner Ben Gauntlett at a workshop on community attitudes towards people with disability convened by the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Disability, held in Melbourne on June 28, 2019. Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, I too acknowledge my deep respect to the … -
Technology and Human Rights
6 May 2024Opinion pieceProtecting Free Speech Doesn’t Mean Dismissing Online Safety
This opinion piece by Human Rights Commissioner, Lorraine Finlay, appeared in The Australian on Monday 29 April 2024. When President Roosevelt gave the 1941 State of the Union Address he spoke of four essential human freedoms that people ‘everywhere in the world’ ought to enjoy. The very first of these was freedom of speech and expression. Free speech was listed first because it is the… -
Technology and Human Rights
31 May 2023News story
Social Media: A Tool for Foreign Interference
Learn about how foreign actors are using social media to interfere with Australia's national interest and threaten human rights online. -
Race Discrimination
4 March 2024Media Release
Giridharan Sivaraman commences as Race Discrimination Commissioner
Australia’s new Race Discrimination Commissioner, Giridharan Sivaraman, said a united approach to anti-racism was essential if our society is to better address and ultimately dismantle systemic racial discrimination in all its forms. Commissioner Sivaraman, who commenced in the role today, said his immediate priority will be to progress a National Anti-Racism Framework as a central reference… -
Commission – General
27 July 2023SpeechA new national human rights framework for Australia
Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM FAAL FRSA FACLM(Hon) delivered this speech at The Annual Castan Centre for Human Rights Law Conference on 21 July 2023. Overview The Australian Human Rights Commission is reaching the conclusion of its Free and Equal project, identifying what the national system for protecting human rights should be in Australia. In this keynote, President Croucher… -
Rights and Freedoms
22 March 2024Speech
The AHRC’s model for a Human Rights Act for Australia
ANU and Amnesty International Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM FAAL FRSA FACLM(Hon) [ Check against delivery] I would like to begin by acknowledging the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people, the traditional custodians of the land on which I am speaking today and pay my respects to elders past, present and emerging and to any First Peoples attending. The Australian Human Rights Commission, as… -
Rights and Freedoms
22 March 2024Media Release
Waleed Aly joins line-up for landmark human rights forum
Presenter, journalist and academic Waleed Aly is among a raft of talent who have just been announced as speakers and panellists for the Free + Equal Human Rights Conference during this year’s Vivid Sydney festival. Mr Aly will join the line-up for the Rights On Time show on the evening of Thursday 6 June in the Hyatt Regency Grand Ballroom where he’ll panel through time with ‘sleek geek’… -
Disability Rights
28 November 2023Webpage
Disability Discrimination Commissioner, Rosemary Kayess
Rosemary Kayess Disability Discrimination Commissioner, commenced 29 January 2024 Rosemary Kayess’ five-year term as Disability Discrimination Commissioner begins on Monday 29 January 2024. Ms Kayess holds a Bachelor of Social Science, Bachelor of Laws and an Honorary Doctorate in Law. She is a Senior Lecturer with the Faculty of Law at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and the Vice… -
Rights and Freedoms
14 March 2024Speech
Enhancing human rights in a post-COVID world
The catalyst of a pandemic Women in Property lunch Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM Acknowledgement Thank you to the Property Council for inviting me to speak to you today—and particularly Jane Fitzgerald whose idea it was. Let me begin by acknowledging the traditional custodians of the land on which we meet, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation and pay my respect to Elders, past,… -
Rights and Freedoms
13 March 2024Speech
The Commission’s model for a Human Rights Act for Australia
The Australian Human Rights Commission's model proposes a national Human Rights Act, safeguarding rights for all Australians and addressing human rights concerns. It aims to modernize the legal framework.