News

Commission – General

Opinion Pieces Archive

The following opinion pieces have been published by the President and Commissioners. Reproduction of the opinion pieces must include reference to where the opinion piece was originally published.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

Creating Futures 2010 Conference (2010)

I begin today by thanking Granny Alice Yeatman for her warm welcome to Yarrabah and paying my respects to the Traditional Owners, on whose land we meet. Good morning ladies and gentlemen, my Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander brothers and sisters, distinguished guests.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

2009 Speech: Bilingual Education

Good morning friends, supporters, Dr’s Peter Toyne and Lester-Irabinna Rigney and distinguished guests. I would also like to acknowledge my Indigenous sisters and brothers who have travelled here to be with us and to share your experiences and stories.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

Essentials for Social Justice: The Future

I begin by paying my respects to the Kaurna peoples, the traditional owners of the land where we gather today, I pay my respects to your elders, to the ancestors and to those who have come before us, And thank you, for your generous welcome to country for all of us.

Commission – General

A Revitalised National Human Rights Framework for Australia

Marking the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Fraser Oration Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM FAAL FRSA FACLM(Hon) Introduction Vice-Chancellor, Duncan Maskell, Dean Matthew Harding, Mrs Tamie Fraser and the Fraser family, Melbourne Law School staff, distinguished...

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

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Thank you Sharron for your introduction, and thank you Uncle Lewis O’Brien for your warm welcome to country. And congratulations to the Taikurtinna Dancers for a great performance and oration.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

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Thank you for the opportunity to speak here this morning. I would like to begin by acknowledging the traditional owners, the Turrbal people on whose land we are on today.

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.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

Launch of Ros Kidd's 'Black lives, government lies' (2nd edition)

Dr Kidd has made an enormously valuable contribution to our understanding of the history of relations between Indigenous peoples in Queensland and government. Because of her commitment and tenacity in obtaining access to, and then exposing the contents of, government records about the administration of Indigenous peoples' lives, we now know far more about the precise details, the extent and the nature of the control exercised by governments in Queensland over the lives of Indigenous peoples over the past 100 years than we otherwise would.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People and Citizenship

It is the intention of this paper to explore the concept of citizenship, and some associated ideas in order to present a perspective on the relevance of citizenship to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. I will seek to examine some key principles in relation to citizenship which must be established in order to ensure full and just respect for the rights and aspirations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Disability Rights

Presentation to University of NSW

To set the scene for my presentation this afternoon, I want to share two autobiographical fragments with you, both of them having to do with my experience at university.

Disability Rights

Disability action plans

Over the past 10 years I have been involved in developing resources and providing informal assistance to organisations developing Action Plans throughout Australia. This has included assisting in the preparation of the initial guides to developing action plans produced in 1995 and the subsequent publication Developing an Effective Action Plan produced in 1999 both of which can be found on our website at http://www.humanrights.gov.au/disability_rights/action_plans/index.html

Disability Rights

Innes: Launch of City of Sydney Inclusion (Disability) Action Plan

Thank you, Deputy Lord Mayor Councillor Hoff for the invitation to participate in this early celebration of International Day of People with a Disability and the launch of the City of Sydney Inclusion Action Plan .

Disability Rights

National Local Roads and Transport Congress

Read a speech that highlights the importance of transport that is inclusive of people with disabilities so they can participate in all aspects of life.

Disability Rights

Focusing on Futures: Employment and Disability

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.