Freedom of speech is not in danger in Australia (2013)
Freedom of speech is alive and well in Australia but, with respect to Voltaire, we will not defend to the death those who abuse this right by vilifying others in public on the ground of race.
Freedom of speech is alive and well in Australia but, with respect to Voltaire, we will not defend to the death those who abuse this right by vilifying others in public on the ground of race.
The proposed anti-discrimination law has critics, but it delivers a balanced package. If the release of the exposure draft of the Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Bill 2012 was intended to stimulate public discussion about an important reform initiative, it has clearly done what it set out to do.
The Human Rights Day Oration was delivered by James Spigelman, Chairman of the ABC and former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of NSW from 1998 until 2011. His keynote speech tackled the topical issue of ‘Where do we draw the line between hate speech and free speech?’
Speech delivered by Professor Gillian Triggs, former President of the Australian Human Rights Commission, on the topic of the right to equality and education.
It may surprise you to hear me start by saying that in many ways the research that comes from gerontology is at the forefront of age law reform. Gerontologists give us the evidence and information to advocate for age friendly laws and policies. Your work assists us to understand that while most of us develop along a similar trajectory in the early years of life, our ageing at the latter stages of life is very different, and our laws and policies should respect those differences.
Australian Association of Graduate Employers Conference Graeme Innes AM Disability Discrimination Commissioner Australian Human Rights Commission Friday 16 November 2012 I acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we meet today. Can you - as an employer - discriminate in favour of...
Speech delivered to the Anglo-Australasian Lawyers Society
I would like to begin by acknowledging the Whadjuk Noongar people and I want to thank them, the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, for allowing us to gather on their country.
Alan used to work as a civil engineer, and is a trombone player with two orchestras and two bands. He has competed in the Australian Band Championships for the last three years. He sold his soils laboratory to 'retire', and has never looked back. He still works part-time in soil testing, but as well as trombone playing he is a volunteer in a Rotary shop, walks 30-40 kilometers weekly, won a silver medal in the 10 km Road Race in the Australian Masters Games 2012, and completed a novel for pre-teens called 'Alex', designed to raise awareness about healthy lifestyles.
Many people will be familiar with the recent “Aboriginal memes” page on a popular social media site, in which images of Aboriginal people were published with highly derogatory captions.
Racism is a curb on our potential, and on our full humanity. It holds us back; it slows us down, and stops us bringing our best to the table. Let’s not shirk from this one, then. Let’s use our talents not only to call racism when we see it, but to envisage a nation beyond it – one confident enough to own its challenges; one capable enough to meet them, one fortunate enough to share in the results.
I would like to begin by acknowledging that we sit on the lands of the Gadigal peoples of the Eora Nation, and I thank the Traditional Owners for allowing us to do so.
Good afternoon and thank you for being here for the launch of the Mental Health Impacts of Racial Discrimination in Victorian Aboriginal Communities Report. And I am proud to be launching this Report on the land of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation, and I pay my respect to elders both past and present.
I start by acknowledging the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation, the traditional owners of the land upon which we meet. I pay my respects to their elders, both past and present.
It is with respect and gratitude I acknowledge that we sit on the lands of the Cammeraigal People of the Curingai Nation and I thank the Traditional Owners for allowing us to do so.
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