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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

National Aboriginal Justice Advisory Committee ( NAJAC) Colloquium

I would like to begin by acknowledging the Ngunnawal people peoples, the traditional owners and custodians of the land where we are gathered today, and pay my respects to their elders. I would also like to thank the members of the National Aboriginal Justice Advisory Council for providing me with the opportunity to speak today and acknowledge my distinguished fellow speakers and panel members.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

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I would like to welcome you all to Parliament House this morning and thank you for coming along. I would like to acknowledge that we are meeting on Ngunnawal land, and I pay my respects to the Ngunnawal People as represented here by Matilda House.

Commission – General

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Amongst all this expertise, it is fair to ask why is the President of the national human rights commission – and particularly a President who has only fairly recently commenced in this role - here presenting the keynote speech to such a conference?

Disability Rights

National Disability Strategies as tools for implementing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Summary: Australia’s National Disability Strategy provides a framework for implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons and for means for enhancing reporting under the Convention. Further development and implementation of the NDS should be informed by the Committee’s reporting guidelines and by the dialogue between the Australian Government and the Committee in considering Australia’s reports. Some enhancements to the reporting guidelines may also be helpful.

Disability Rights

International Day of People with Disabilities Keynote Speech

Thanks for the chance to speak with you today. As you might guess, in my role as Disability Discrimination Commissioner, I receive many invitations to speak at functions on the international day. One of the reasons I chose this invitation is because of the really important role that Local Government plays in the lives of all Australians. It deals with the issues that are in your face- and I know, because until two years ago I was a Councillor on Ku-Ring-Gai Council.

Disability Rights

UN Convention - Rights of people with disabilities & domestic violence

Diverse and inclusive practice: Redrawing the boundaries Domestic Violence, Disability and Cultural Safety National Forum Brighton-Le-Sands, NSW, 8 - 9 November 2007

Disability Rights

Opportunity knocks

I follow this custom wherever I go to speak in public. I think recognising Australia ' s indigenous peoples and their prior ownership of this land in this way is more than just good manners. It is an important part of recognising our diversity as a nation.

Disability Rights

Deafness Forum Hearing Access Seminar

I always like to begin my presentations with a humorous anecdote or joke of some kind. For one thing, it lets me know that someone is actually listening, and it also lulls the audience into a false sense of security for the dry parts to follow. So as part of my preparation for this morning's discussion of disability discrimination law in Australia, I decided to find an answer to the important question, "how many audiologists does it take to change a lightbulb". Fortunately there is a website devoted to lightbulb jokes, and so I duly consulted it.

Disability Rights

The elimination of disability discrimination in Australia

Graeme Innes AM Deputy Disability Discrimination Commissioner Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Physical Disability Council of Australia 20 November 2000

Commission – General

10th International Criminal Congress

The topic of this seminar is ‘Criminal Justice in a climate of fear’. The word terrorism is not mentioned and yet the subject invites discussion of the impact of terrorism on life and laws in Australia.

Sex Discrimination

Gold Coast Centre against Sexual Violence: the Official Opening (2010)

I want to begin by acknowledging that we are gathered here today on the traditional land of the Gombemberri people. I pay my deepest respects to their elders both past and present. Thank you Aunty Patricia for your welcome to country and to the Nunukul Yuggera Aboriginal Dancers performing the smoking ceremony and the performance – it is fantastic that we can open this very important building with such joy and beauty – thank you.

Sex Discrimination

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Thank you so much for inviting me to be part of this launch today. And what a great effort it has been on the part of the Committee- busy people with never enough time, let’s not ask them how their work-life balance has been over the past two years as they have worked their way through this.

Sex Discrimination

Without Gender Prejudice

I am delighted to be have been given the opportunity to address the Local Government and Community Services Association of NSW 'Without Prejudice' Forum.

Legal

Law Seminar 2008: Housing and Homelessness – What’s Human Rights got to do with It? by Cassandra Goldie

Paper presented at the Homelessness and Human Rights Seminar Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission 12.30 – 2pm, Monday 7 April 2008 133 Castlereagh Street, Sydney, NSW

Rights and Freedoms

Democracy, Human Rights & Social Issues: Dr Sev Ozdowski OAM (2005)

I would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we stand, and pay my respects to their elders both past and present. I make this statement at any function where I speak in order to: