News

Commission – General

President speeches: Human Rights in Australia

Thank you for inviting me here today to speak about human rights in Australia. I would like to use this opportunity to focus on how human rights are protected in Australia; and how you, as human rights educators, can help students to understand these protections. I will also seek to shed some light on the role of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission and some of our responses to some current human rights issues.

Commission – General

Address to Tri-State Country Conference, Broken Hill

I also want to make mention of the fact that we are 130kn south west of an area of great significance to the Aboriginal communities of western NSW, which is now called Mutawintji National Park - the first park to be handed back to its Traditional Owners under the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Act in 1998. [1] The caves and overhangs in the park have been transformed into expansive galleries of Aboriginal rock art, and it comes as no surprise that they have formed the backdrop for ceremonies for at least 8,000 years.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

Social Justice; HREOC and Indigenous Education

Where: Australian College of Educators (the Boardroom) James Darling House 42 Geils Court Deakin, Canberra When: Saturday May 17 Time: 11.00am for 11.30am (see appendix 1)

Disability Rights

Mental Health, Social Inclusion and Citizenship Awards

Thank you for the opportunity to speak today. It is honour to be here today to help recognise the people who try to make a difference to some of the most vulnerable and marginalised people in our community.

Rights and Freedoms

Global to local: making human rights a reality in Australia today (2008)

I begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, the Gadigal people of the Eora nation, and pay my respects to their elders past and present.

Rights and Freedoms

“Child Migrants and Human Rights in our Time”: Dr Sev Ozdowski OAM (2005)

I should add, at this point, that my work over the past few years and my inquiry on children in immigration detention (CIDI), in Australia, the report of which "A last resort?" was tabled in the Australian Federal parliament in May of 2004, has made me even more keenly aware of the fragility of child asylum seekers. But more on that later!

Rights and Freedoms

"The rights of the child and international human rights law"

This morning I am going to talk to you about unaccompanied child migrants in the wider context of current world trends. In so doing, I have taken full account of the lessons to be learned from the experiences of the victims of British child migration schemes.

Commission – General

President Speech: Flinders University Law School Prize Giving Ceremony 2010

First, may I acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, the Gadigal people of the Eora nation, and pay my respects to their elders, both past and present.

Commission – General

President speeches: The influence of human rights on judicial decision-making

May I acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora nation, the traditional owners of the land upon which we meet, and pay my respect to their elders past and present.

Commission – General

In defence of human rights

I would like to acknowledge that we are meeting on the traditional country of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation and pay my respects to their elders past and present.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

Citizens Inside: Dr W Jonas AM (2000)

This morning about 20,000 Australians woke up in a prison cell. What will their day bring? Most of you know far more about that than I do and that is precisely why we have called upon your expertise for today's workshop.

Disability Rights

Disability and human rights

Allow me to commence by acknowledging the traditional custodians of the land on which we meet, the Wallumattagal clan of the Eora peoples. Let me also acknowledge my fellow speakers, as well as other distinguished guests and friends.

Sex Discrimination

(Non-sex industry) labour trafficking: A forum to discuss trafficking in persons in contexts other than the commercial sex industry (2009)

It is wonderful to be here today at a forum that brings together so many people with different insights on what we need to do to effectively tackle the issue of labour trafficking. Immigration experts, law enforcement officers, labour law specialists, service providers, NGOs, researchers, even human rights lawyers!

Rights and Freedoms

Speech for launch of Information for Students page: John von Doussa QC (2006)

The promotion of human rights and education go hand in hand. At the international level human rights education is an essential function of the work of the UN and its many agencies. And it is fundamental to the work of a National Human Rights Commission.

Rights and Freedoms

Mornington Peninsula Shire Conference

Firstly I would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we stand and by so doing remind ourselves that Australia's cultural traditions stretch back many thousands of years.