Commission - General
Hugh de Kretser discusses human rights issues facing regional, rural and remote Australian communities at the July 2025 Community Legal Centres NSW Summit. Limited access to healthcare and education, the impact of climate change and disasters and justice for First Nations communities are just some of the challenges rural communities experience in Australia.
Commission - General
We must end the practice of police investigating police deaths in custody Two recent Aboriginal deaths in custody in the Northern Territory have again raised questions about the treatment of First Nations people in Australia’s criminal justice systems. Kumanjayi White, a 24 year-old Warlpiri man with...
Commission - General
The Australian Human Rights Commission has been affected by a data breach concerning attachments uploaded to the Commission’s web forms on its website.
Commission - General
Cost of living issues are human rights issues Someone said to me just before election day that human rights hadn’t featured much in the federal election campaign. It’s true that the words “human rights” didn’t feature much - but human rights issues did. This was an election about the cost of living...
Commission - General
The vital global role of National Human Rights Institutions Many people who are familiar with the Australian Human Rights Commission are less familiar with the global context in which we operate. The Commission is Australia’s national human rights institution (NHRI) and one of 118 NRHIs globally...
Commission - General
This International Women’s Day, the Commissioners at the Australian Human Rights Commission stand together to call for urgent action to ensure that all women and girls—of every background, age or disability—can live free from violence, discrimination, and inequality. This year’s International Women...
Commission - General
Hugh de Kretser highlights rising intolerance and racism, urging unity and dialogue to achieve peace and respect for all, grounded in human rights and common humanity.
Commission - General
We must work together to address the scourge of racism. The Director-General of ASIO, Mike Burgess, said in Parliament last week that “in terms of threats to life” antisemitism is ASIO’s top priority. He said he believed it was the first time a form of racism was the agency’s highest priority. The...
Commission - General
UN decisions confirm Australia's human rights obligations to refugees and people seeking asylum sent offshore The Refugee Convention is the international community’s commitment to work together to protect people fleeing violence and persecution. When Australia agreed to be bound by the Refugee...
Commission - General
Commission President Hugh de Kretser's opening statement to the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights, Inquiry into Antisemitism at Australian Universities.
Commission - General
It's Human Rights Day; a day to reflect on human rights challenges and progress. 76 years ago today, the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, one of the pinnacles of human achievement. In adopting the Declaration after the horrors of World War 2, the international...
Commission - General
There’s so many people in this room tonight who have played a big part in my life. This area and its people are close to my heart. Sunshine – Brimbank - Melton It’s where I got my real human rights education.
Commission - General
It’s pretty special for me being here tonight as the speaker at the Tim McCoy dinner. There’s so many people in this room tonight who have played a big part in my life - making me a better human rights advocate and a better person. The McCoy Dinner is always a great celebration of the community...
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