News

Sex Discrimination

Achieving a Gender Equal World

Over the last 7 years I have become more and more convinced of one thing - this is my second theme. To deliver equality for women we need to focus on men. We need men taking the message of gender equality to other men. It’s not about men speaking for women or saving women. We can take care of ourselves, thank you very much. It is about men stepping up beside us, working in partnership with us, so that promoting women’s leadership becomes everyone’s business. It’s about men as equal partners with us in ensuring that the WEPs come to life to transform our businesses and communities to move us to a world where – power and leadership is shared equally between men and women.

20 October, 2015

LGBTIQ+

I want to hold your hand: LGBTI people have some surprisingly modest aspirations

Visibility remains one of the greatest challenges in tackling the legacy of state-sanctioned discrimination against people on the basis of their sexual orientation, gender identity and intersex status. In the past 30 years we’ve made great strides in ensuring people are treated equally before the law...

11 June, 2015

Race Discrimination

Forty years of the Racial Discrimination Act

In October 1975, at a ceremony for the proclamation of the Racial Discrimination Act, then Prime Minister Gough Whitlam described the legislation as ‘a historic measure’, which aimed to ‘entrench new attitudes of tolerance and understanding in the hearts and minds of the people’.(1) The Act was...

11 May, 2015

Disability Rights

International Guide Dog Day 2015: Sydney launch of the ‘It’s time to end Guide Dog discrimination’ campaign

Thank you Graeme for that introduction, and good morning everyone. I am very pleased to be here. Guide dogs play a vital role in the lives of people who are blind or vision impaired, which is why it is so important to end discrimination against guide dog users. Last year at the Australian Human...

29 April, 2015

Children's Rights

Embedding children’s rights into children’s services

YMCA 2015 National Children’s Services Conference Moonee Valley Racing Club, Victoria Saturday 21 March 2015 Introduction Good morning and thank you for the introduction. I would like to start by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet today, the Wurundjeri people of the...

21 March, 2015

Disability Rights

6th National Disability Summit - Keynote speech: Disability Discrimination Commissioner

To begin, I would like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which we are meeting. I pay my respects to their Elders, past and present, and the Elders from other communities who may be here today. Thank you for inviting me to speak at the 6th National Disability Summit.

18 March, 2015

Children's Rights

Children and young people as complainants

Children and young people as complainants Complaint Handlers’ Information Sharing and Liasion (CHISaL) Seminar Introduction Good afternoon everyone and thank you Sandra for the introduction. I would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we meet and I pay my respects to...

25 February, 2015

Sex Discrimination

McKinsey Asia Week

It’s a great pleasure to be speaking here today. Congratulations Dominic and Kevin and the conference leaders for giving priority to the issue of women’s leadership. As Natalie mentioned, I have the immense privilege of being Australia’s Sex Discrimination Commissioner. This role has taken me from 200 metres under the sea in a submarine to the United Nations in New York, to camping out with aboriginal women in Northern Australia, to the mountains and valleys of Afghanistan, the White House, the Pentagon, NATO and the World Bank ALL in the same year.

11 February, 2015

Children's Rights

Ever seen or heard? The voice of children in family law

16th National Family Law Conference Wednesday 8 October 2014 Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, it is a privilege to be here today at the 16th National Family Law Conference. Thank you Judge Bauman for the kind introduction. I would like to start by acknowledging the traditional owners of...

8 October, 2014

Children's Rights

Ever seen or heard? The voice of children in family law

16th National Family Law Conference Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, it is a privilege to be here today at the 16th National Family Law Conference. Thank you Judge Bauman for the kind introduction. I would like to start by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land we meet on, and I...

8 October, 2014

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

The Longevity Revolution – Crisis or Opportunity?

National Press Club Address

17 September, 2014

Children's Rights

Children's Rights in a Changing World

Megan Mitchell National Children's Commissioner Australian Human Rights Commission Association of Children's Welfare Agencies Conference 2014 20 August 2014 Check Against Delivery Introduction Thank you, Stephen, and good afternoon everyone. Can I start by acknowledging the traditional owners of the...

20 August, 2014

Children's Rights

Rights of children in schools: a human rights perspective on behaviour

Read a speech by the Children's Commissioner that highlights the importance of including the views of students when defining the rights of children.

15 July, 2014

Children's Rights

Marist Youth Care

While I believe most Australians wish for children in this country an equal chance at life - an opportunity to not just survive but to thrive - and to be free from violence, abuse and neglect, it is, perhaps, less understood or acknowledged that this opportunity is also the right of every Australian child.

30 June, 2014

Children's Rights

QCEC Student Protection In-Service Day for Catholic School Authorities

It is a real pleasure to be here in Brisbane and to speak to so many people who are all committed to the protection of children and young people across Australia.

16 May, 2014