News

Disability Rights

Site navigation

About six weeks ago I had a dream in which I was about to give this presentation. As I was walking up to the lectern, I suddenly realised that I had forgotten to include anything about the National Arts and Disability Strategy. Not only had I forgotten to include it in my notes, but I couldn't remember a single thing about it. I started to imagine boos and hisses from the audience, projectile tomatoes, and (the presenter's worst nightmare) loud snores. But then, in the dream, I somehow knew that I could end it all by waking myself up. And that's what I did.

Disability Rights

Launch of Bus Industry Confederation accessibility guidelines

Attorney-General Ruddock; Michael Apps and representatives of the bus and coach industry; Margo Hodge and representatives of the disability community; ladies and gentlemen.

Disability Rights

Site navigation

Thank you Attorney General, and Minister Carr, and Parliamentary Secretary Shorten, for the invitation to participate in this launch of the Premises Standards. And thank you Ms Rein for your support of this important event. And its appropriate that the launch takes place in this building- one of the few in Australia with braille on its walls. Sadly, though, Qantas wouldn't let me bring my ladder on the plane, so I still haven't been able to read what it says. However, Google tells me that some quite subversive messages were put there.

Disability Rights

Education and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Des English Memorial Lecture

On 30 March 2007 I was waxing lyrical to my computer screen in Sydney. My words were not quite the same, but they had equal passion and determination. At 1.40 a.m. on that Saturday morning Sydney time, I was having a few glasses of wine and watching Australia line up with 80 other countries at the United Nations (UN) in New York, to sign that same Convention on the first day it was open for signature—via podcast to my computer screen. It was Friday New York time.

Disability Rights

Setting an Agenda for Disability and Tourism Research

While there is no section in the Disability Discrimination Act titled "Tourism" every aspect of the development, management and delivery of tourist services are covered by one or more provision within the DDA.

Disability Rights

DDA tenth anniversary award

In addition to this year's Human Rights Awards, to be announced later today, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission has decided to confer an award to mark ten years of achievements under the Disability Discrimination Act.

Disability Rights

LAUNCH OF THE TELSTRA LARGE PRINT BILL

I'm very pleased to be here today - not just as Disability Discrimination Commissioner but to represent the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission.

Disability Rights

Submission in response to the National Disability Strategy: Position Paper (2020)

1. Introduction The Australian Human Rights Commission (the Commission) welcomes the opportunity to provide the Department of Social Services (DSS) with this submission in response to the National Disability Strategy: Position Paper[i] (the Position Paper) regarding the development of a new...

Disability Rights

Presentation to Accessible Arts Workshop

George Bernard Shaw once said that the only alternative to torture in life is art. I'm not sure that you could my presentation this morning art, but I do hope it isn't torture.

Disability Rights

Keynote Address: Pacific Islands Forum Disability Ministers' Meeting (2009)

Imagine a visit to your local market? The noise of trading, the wonderful smells of fresh food, the multitude and variety of colours. It's at ground level, with wide passage ways, and John moves around easily, managing his stall. Rick throws a heavy box of fruit onto his shoulder and, after reading the stall number printed on the box, carries it to that stall. And Elizabeth enters stallholder permit details on her laptop, with an ear-piece in her ear. A society where people with disability are welcomed, and fully included.

Disability Rights

Getting it right - a baker's dozen

Read a speech that highlights the importance of the design and construction of buildings and to ensure equal access to people with a disability.

Disability Rights

People with Disabilities and productive diversity in the APS

Australian Public Service Commission one-day diversity conference 'Public Service Regeneration - Challenges and Opportunities for the Workforce' Brisbane, Wednesday 8 June 2005.

Disability Rights

Presentation of Victorian Local Government Accessible Communities Awards

Most of you here today would know that it is not trite to say that local government is the closest level of government to our communities, and as such plays a key role in building and reinforcing the fabric of those communities.

Disability Rights

Disability images and human reality

The electronic mass media are among the most powerful influences on people's lives today. You who work in the media shape our view of the world and of each other. Through media exposure we get access to a vast range of life situations that go far beyond what any one of us could personally experience.

Disability Rights

Launch of revised Commonwealth Disability Strategy

Transcript of remarks made by Graeme Innes AM Deputy Disability Discrimination Commissioner, at the launch of the revised Commonwealth Disability Strategy, Parliament House, Canberra, 5 October 2000