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Rights and Freedoms

Australia needs to deliver on our treaty promises

As with any agreement, there are certain requirements that OPCAT signatories need to fulfill, and Australia has been given longer than any other country to meet our OPCAT commitments. Today – 20 January 2023 – is our extended compliance deadline, and Australia has failed to deliver on our promises.

Category, Opinion
Rights and Freedoms

Human Rights in the time of Covid

Responding to the COVID-19 pandemic as a public health emergency tested national readiness in a federal system to contain the spread of the disease effectively and required very quick action by governments.

Category, Speech
Rights and Freedoms

Respect@Work – a focus on our profession

This paper considers the amendments to laws regarding workplace bullying and sexual harassment and the employer’s responsibility implementing recommendations of the Commission’s Respect@Work report (2020).

Category, Speech
Rights and Freedoms

New report aims to help fast-track Australia’s OPCAT implementation process

A new report released today by the Australian Human Rights Commission outlines activities required to expedite Australia’s sluggish approach to implementing the United Nation’s Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT)...

Category, News
Rights and Freedoms

Housing and human rights - rights where it matters

Sandy Duncanson Memorial Lecture Housing and human rights – rights where it matters Hobart, 11 October 2022 Abstract Homelessness can happen to anyone. People with disability are at an increased risk and they are joined by a growing invisible cohort of older women. COVID-19 was a trigger for state...

Category, Speech
Rights and Freedoms

Reforming Age Discrimination Law

Reforming Age Discrimination Law: Beyond Individual Enforcement, Alysia Blackham (2022) Panel discussion Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM President, Australian Human Rights Commission I am speaking today from the traditional lands of the Dharug and Gundungurra peoples and pay my respects to...

Category, Speech
Rights and Freedoms

Promoting and protecting human rights in Australia

The Australian Human Rights Commission: promoting and protecting human rights in Australia St Andrew’s College, University of Sydney, 14 July 2022 Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM FAAL Abstract This presentation explores the role of the Australian Human Rights Commission in the context of the...

Category, Speech
Rights and Freedoms

Reflections on women and human rights

Thank you to the Lyceum Club for inviting me to speak, and to Christine Yeats and Judith White for your warm introduction. I recall that for my late mother, Dr Amy McGrath OAM, the revival of the Sydney Lyceum Club was very special. In sorting through papers of my parents, following the passing of...

Category, Speech
Rights and Freedoms

Whither human rights and freedoms protections in Australia?

As I reflect on the past two years, it is clear that the pandemic has brought a renewed national focus on the importance of centralising considering rights and freedoms during times of crisis — a greater ‘rights consciousness’.

Category, Speech
Rights and Freedoms

Address to the 2022 Friendship and Dialogue Iftar Dinner

Affinity Intercultural Foundation, NSW Parliament House 13th Friendship and Dialogue Iftar Dinner Wednesday 13 April 2022 Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM As-salamu alaykum: may peace be upon you. Acknowledgements Our Parliamentary hosts, distinguished guests, of whom there are indeed many...

Category, Speech
Rights and Freedoms

What is happening in Ukraine should matter to every Australian

OPINION There is almost 13,000km between Australia and Ukraine. It is literally on the other side of the world. Given the vast distances that separate us, it would be easy to claim that what happens there has nothing to do with us. That Australia should focus instead on the many challenges we...

Category, Opinion