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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

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Tom Calma, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner and acting Race Discrimination Commissioner, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission

Sex Discrimination

National Press Club - Getting Women off the Bench: A Gender Equality Blueprint for 2010

It is over a year ago, that I stood here for the first time, amidst an economic downturn and wondered whether the long awaited Paid Parental Leave scheme would end up on the cutting room floor.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

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Before I speak about agreement making on Indigenous lands, let me acknowledge the Larrakia people on whose land we are today. The Larrakia are the neighbours of my people the Kungarakan whose country borders the Larrakia to the south west of Darwin.

Rights and Freedoms

Human 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 the centre of the universe.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

Minerals Week 2008

I’d also like to thank the Minerals Council of Australia for inviting me to speak today and I acknowledge all distinguished guests and participants.

Disability Rights

Foresight not oversight

On behalf of the Commission I'm very pleased to receive the C & W Optus Disability Discrimination Action Plan. It's a great way to celebrate this International Day of People with Disabilities.

Commission – General

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I accepted the invitation to make this Oration and come here tonight with some trepidation: The person being honoured tonight, Dame Roma Mitchell, was the first federal Human Rights Commissioner and this is the territory that has known the powers of persuasion, conviction and commitment of the best human rights minds in the country, including Dame Roma Mitchell herself. Yet I reminded myself that we are both cultivators in the same vineyard, albeit that I both lagged behind her and sought to learn from her. My work today is made easier by the clear and decisive path cut out by my predecessor.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

Sustainable Development Conference

I would like to start this afternoon by acknowledging the Noongar people, the traditional owners of the land where we meet today. For those Noongars here – I’d like to congratulate you in the success of your native title claim over this area. Your determination and your ability to work together as a group to pursue this claim is an inspiration to all of us. Indigenous property rights and connection to land are crucial considerations for this presentation because they underpin any discussion about human rights, Indigenous people and land matters.

Sex Discrimination

Women in the super network

Thank you for asking me to speak at your lunch time seminar. I have been excited by the prospect - as you may be aware, I am doing two jobs at the moment at the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. One is the job of Privacy Commissioner, my usual job, and the other is acting as the Sex Discrimination Commissioner pending a Government decision about a permanent appointment to that position. Working on these two radically different subject areas is quite fascinating.

Disability Rights

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Acknowledgment of where we stand and where we are is, it seems to me, an essential precondition to good decisions about where we want to go, and how we might get there.

Commission – General

Graduation Address

I speak to you now, not as the Chancellor of this University, but as the President of Australia’s national Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. And while my remarks are addressed primarily to today’s graduands, I suspect what I am about to say will resonate among parents and friends.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

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I would like to start today by acknowledging the Gimuy Walubara Yidinji people on whose land we are on today and pay my respect to your elders both past and present.

Sex Discrimination

Is poverty to be the reward for a life spent caring?

I would like to start by acknowledging that we are here today on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. I pay my respects to their elders past and present. I have had the great honour of meeting many inspirational Indigenous women in my role – their energy, courage and determination leaves me in awe.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

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I call my paper 'Social Justice Then Native Title' in order to make a clear distinction between two aspects of Indigenous People's struggle; the ultimate goals we are seeking to achieve and the means by which we seek to achieve them. Distinguishing the means and the ends, the former a servant of the latter, is a fundamental tenet of strategic thinking. And it is clear to me that a strategic approach will identify native title as simply a tool for achieving social justice for Indigenous people.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

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I’d like to acknowledge the traditional owners of this country and pay my respect to Elders past and present. I’d like also to acknowledge my fellow panel members and thank Richard for inviting me to speak tonight.