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Asylum Seekers and Refugees
8 October 2014Opinion pieceKeeping asylum seeker children in detention doesn't stop people smugglers - so why do it?
The former and current ministers for immigration and border security, Chris Bowen and Scott Morrison, agree on one thing: that asylum seeker children are not detained to deter people smuggling. Rather, it appears that patrol boats and naval frigates, commanded by a three star general, and a refusal to allow refugees to settle here, have reduced the number of boats reaching Australia. Why… -
Rights and Freedoms
8 February 2016Opinion pieceAnother 'aberration' shows that 18C is the problem and must be changed
State and federal governments should reform laws that make offensive acts unlawful and refocus them on protecting free speech and stopping workplace and public harassment. This week a news story broke about a complaint made under section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act by a Queensland University of Technology employee. Section 18C makes it unlawful to "offend, insult, humiliate or… -
Legal
4 September 2014PublicationMansoor and Mr IA v Commonwealth (DIBP)
View a report into arbitrary detention in the case of Mansoor and Mr IA v Commonwealth (Department of Immigration and Border Protection). -
Legal
4 September 2014Publication
Johansson v Masonic Homes Inc
Explore a report into unlawful discrimination in employment based on a criminal record in the case of Johansson v Masonic Homes Inc. -
Rights and Freedoms
20 May 2014Opinion piece
Twitter trolls have a right to offend – but we don't have to listen
Storms on social media demonstrate we don't need laws to regulate free speech – social norms are enough Internet outrage tells us more about how we ensure civil conduct face-to-face, than how we behave online. People behave in strange ways online. But social media provides the clearest evidence of people behaving on their first instinct. All that the internet has demonstrated is there were… -
Legal
21 October 2015Publication
HG v Commonwealth of Australia (DIBP)
[2015] AusHRC 95 -
Legal
21 October 2015Publication
Rahimi (deceased) v Commonwealth of Australia (DIBP)
View a report into the arbitrary detention case of Rahimi (deceased) v Commonwealth of Australia, Department of Immigration and Border Protection. -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
11 October 2017Publication
Inspection of Maribyrnong Immigration Detention Centre
This report contains an overview of key observations and concerns arising from the Australian Human Rights Commission’s inspection of the Maribyrnong Immigration Detention Centre (MIDC) in March 2017. -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
11 October 2017Publication
Inspection of Melbourne Immigration Transit Accommodation Report (2017)
This report contains an overview of key observations and concerns arising from the Australian Human Rights Commission’s inspection of the Melbourne Immigration Transit Accommodation (MITA) detention facility in March 2017. -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
23 February 2014Opinion piece
We can't 'outsource' our moral obligations to these people
Events on Manus Island have graphically and tragically brought to the attention of the Australian public the inappropriateness of the current arrangements for the regional processing of asylum seekers. I have been troubled by the loss of life and the injury that has occurred on Manus Island over this past week, even as we wait for further information about what exactly has occurred. I am… -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
30 January 2014Opinion pieceWe need to fix the Constitution, says Social Justice Commissioner
Recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the nation’s Constitution is a waste of time, 2UE Drive host Justin Smith recently argued. There are many things the Constitution doesn’t recognise, he said, the document is dull, and we would be better off if we paid attention instead to the words we use every day. I agree with Mr Smith on one point: the Constitution isn’t a page… -
Rights and Freedoms
20 December 2013Publication
Australia's Universal Periodic Review 2013
This report is the third in a series of annual reports that are being developed in the lead up to Australia’s second Universal Periodic Review at the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council in October 2015. Each report identifies important milestones as well as challenges that remain for the protection of human rights in Australia. -
Legal
13 December 2013Publication
Commonwealth v Australian Capital Territory [2013] HCA 55
In Commonwealth v Australian Capital Territory, the High Court held unanimously that the whole of the Marriage Equality (Same Sex) Act 2013 (ACT) (the ACT Act) was inconsistent with the Marriage Act 1961 (Cth) (the Marriage Act) and was therefore of no effect. -
Disability Rights
26 November 2013Opinion pieceWe have to stop this
“Are you talking about rape? I’ve been raped many times. You just have to get used to it.” Imagine that your daughter, sister, mother, wife, girlfriend or female friend had the grave misfortune to have this happen to her - and that this statement, thick with defeat and resignation, was her response to such a gross perpetration of violence against her. Now imagine she is in a care facility… -
Technology and Human Rights
25 September 2013Publication
Background Paper: Human Rights in Cyberspace
Learn more about how human rights are being actively engaged in digital environments and technologies. -
Race Discrimination
28 July 2016PublicationLeading for Change: A blueprint for cultural diversity and inclusive leadership (2016)
Leading for Change starts the conversation about improving the representation of cultural diversity within Australian leadership. It provides guidance for how organisations can nurture leadership that is fit for our multicultural society and our global economy. -
Sex Discrimination
22 July 2013PublicationAudit Report: Review into the Treatment of Women at ADFA
On 3 November 2011 the Report on the Review into the Treatment of Women at the Australian Defence Force Academy was tabled in the Australian Parliament. It contained 31 recommendations. This Audit has provided an important and unique opportunity to examine the extent to which these recommendations have been implemented, and to identify the further cultural reform work that should be undertaken. … -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
10 July 2013Webpage
Immigration detention reports and photos
Immigration detention reports: The reports below published by the Commission outline issues of concern arising from its visits to immigration detention facilities. 2018 Inspection of Adelaide Immigration Detention Centre Report (2018) - Dept. of Home Affairs response to Adelaide Immigration Detention Centre Inspection of Perth Immigration Detention Centre Report (2018) - Dept. of Home… -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
9 July 2013Webpage
Submissions about immigration detention, asylum seekers and refugees
2015 Submission to Inquiry into the responsibilities of the Commonwealth Government in connection with the management and operation of the Regional Processing Centre in Nauru (April 2015) Submission to the Inquiry into the Migration Amendment (Maintaining the Good Order of Immigration Detention Facilities) Bill 2015 (Cth) (April 2015) 2014 Submission to the Inquiry into the Migration and … -
Rights and Freedoms
11 March 2015Opinion piece
Is freedom under pressure globally?
Behind human rights is the still revolutionary idea that every human being is free and equal, that individuals own their own bodies and should be free to pursue their lives, opportunities and enterprise. Human rights provide the foundation for our liberal democracy, our market economy and our civil society. It was the signing 800 years ago of the Magna Carta, or Great Charter of 1215, by…