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Disability Rights
Australia's Disability Strategy, Human Rights and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
The compartmentalisation of disability policy has meant people with disability, or their representatives, are often expected to have the information and evidence to justify policy change and even when they do make their case, they need multiple levels and areas of government to support them.
Race Discrimination
Stop mass incarceration to prevent deaths in custody
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, June Oscar AO said Australia must stop the “mass incarceration” of its Indigenous people or else deaths in custody will continue to occur. Commissioner Oscar said her thoughts are with all the families who have lost loved ones over...
Commission – General
Human Rights Day Oration 2020: Rosemary Kayess and Nas Campanella
The 2020 Human Rights Day Oration was delivered by leading disability rights advocate Rosemary Kayess, winner of the 2019 Human Rights Medal, and a contributor to the drafting of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Ms Kayess discussed the social transformation of...
Disability Rights
Speech to National Labor Disability Summit
Dr Ben Gauntlett National Labor Disability Summit Melbourne November 1, 2019 Good disability policy benefits all Australians. When we think of disability policy, it is not “us” and “them”, it is "we", we the people of Australia need good disability policy because it reflects our values of diversity...
Disability Rights
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities briefing with civil society (2019)
22nd Session of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities briefing with civil society, Monday, 9 September 2019 Geneva, Palais des Nations Room XVII Opening Statement of Australian Human Rights Commission Dr Ben Gauntlett...
Sex Discrimination
National Press Club: Everyone's Business: 2018 Sexual Harassment Survey
Kate Jenkins CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY I acknowledge the traditional owners of this land, the Ngunnawal people, and pay my respects to their elders past, present and emerging. Change takes time In my role as Sex Discrimination Commissioner, many people tell me to be patient. They tell me that change...
Disability Rights
25 years of the Disability Discrimination Act
It was 25 years ago this month that the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) (the ‘DDA’) commenced operation. On 1 March 1993, Australians with a dis¬ability had a national law that was designed to provide them with equality in many areas of life. Over the past quarter of a cen¬tury, the DDA...
Sex Discrimination
Sex Discrimination Commissioner delivers 2018 Pamela Denoon Lecture
2018 Pamela Denoon Lecture, ANU Monday 5th March 2018 Good evening. I would like to begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet and paying my respects to their elders past, present and emerging. I would also like to acknowledge both the organisers of this event and the...
Disability Rights
25 Years of the Disability Discrimination Act
The UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities, Ms Catalina Devandas Aguilar, will be joining the Australian Human Rights Commission for a unique event to mark the 25th anniversary of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) (DDA) on 1 March, 2018. The event – a panel...
Rights and Freedoms
National Human Rights Commissions — what’s the point?
International Bar Association Section on Public and Professional Interests 12 October 2017 Sydney by Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM President, Australian Human Rights Commission [ Professor Croucher spoke to this paper ] Acknowledgements As the Head of an Australian Government agency I...
Commission – General
Hobart Oration
Explore a speech by Professor Gillian Triggs, President of the Australian Human Rights Commission, in relation to the state of human rights in Australia.
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