Refine results
-
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
14 July 2025SubmissionExternalisation of Migration and the Impact on the Human Rights of Migrants
The Australian Human Rights Commission has made a formal submission to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, contributing to his forthcoming report to the UN General Assembly on the externalisation of migration and its impact on migrant rights. This submission outlines the Commission’s concerns regarding Australia’s externalisation policies, including… -
Rights and Freedoms
26 June 2025Opinion pieceAustralia’s torture failures must end
In an opinion piece published in The Mandarin, Human Rights Commissioner Lorraine Finlay decries Australia’s ongoing failures in torture protection. The piece was published on the 1989 anniversary of Australia signing up to the UN Convention Against Torture. -
Education25 March 2025Webpage
Statistics about Refugees and People Seeking Asylum
Learn about refugees and people seeking asylum in Australia, demographics, and the issues facing different groups within this community such as discrimination and family separation through statistics. -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
19 February 2025Media Release
Human Rights Commissioner says NZYQ Nauru resettlement announcement raises more questions than it answers
Australia’s Human Rights Commissioner has written to Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke seeking clarity and transparency around an Australian Government decision to resettle three members of the NZYQ cohort in Nauru, saying the announcement raises serious human rights concerns and prompts more questions than it answers. -
Commission - General
29 July 2024News story
Hugh de Kretser commences as Human Rights Commission President
The new President of the Australian Human Rights Commission, Hugh de Kretser, said maintaining the push to see a national Human Rights Act introduced will be among his key priorities, as he today commenced in the role. -
Commission - General
4 February 2025E-bulletin (Monthly)
President's message | February 2025
UN decisions confirm Australia's human rights obligations to refugees and people seeking asylum sent offshore The Refugee Convention is the international community’s commitment to work together to protect people fleeing violence and persecution. When Australia agreed to be bound by the Refugee Convention and its 1967 protocol, we agreed to protect refugees who came to our country seeking… -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
7 December 2023Opinion piece
Hasty detainee laws raise human rights concerns
Lorraine Finlay, Human Rights Commissioner As we approach international Human Rights Day on 10 December – which this year marks the 75th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights – the ongoing fallout from the NZYQ High Court decision continues to highlight both the importance and complexity of promoting and protecting human rights. The passing of the Migration Amendment (Bridging… -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
27 November 2024News story
Explainer: Commission does not support the Migration Amendment Bill
The Australian Government has introduced new migration laws into Parliament to expand search and seizure powers in immigration detention centres. The Commission does not support the Migration Amendment (Prohibiting Items in Immigration Detention Facilities) Bill 2024 -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
9 December 2024Media Release
Women in immigration detention at serious risk of harassment and violence
The Australian Human Rights Commission has called for significant reform to the country’s immigration detention system, after a new report into the treatment of women in detention found their rights, safety and wellbeing are being widely overlooked. These failures, it found, are compounding the risk to women of harassment, violence, and ill health. -
Commission - General
12 March 2024Speech
A Revitalised National Human Rights Framework for Australia
Marking the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Fraser Oration Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM FAAL FRSA FACLM(Hon) Introduction Vice-Chancellor, Duncan Maskell, Dean Matthew Harding, Mrs Tamie Fraser and the Fraser family, Melbourne Law School staff, distinguished guests, friends I would like to begin by acknowledging the traditional custodians of the land… -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
12 December 2024Opinion piece
Women in immigration detention are trapped in a system designed for men. Many have not hugged a family member in years
In an opinion piece published in The Guardian, Human Rights Commissioner Lorraine Finlay Commissioner Finlay describes the harrowing experiences faced by many women in immigration detention and calls for urgent reform to address these human rights failures. It follows the release of the AHRC report into the issue.