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Commission - General
6 November 2025E-bulletin (Monthly)President's message | November 2025
For the common good: climate justice begins with human rights The evidence on the threat to humans posed by climate change is clear. The planet is getting hotter. Seas are rising. Rainfall patterns are changing. In Australia, lives and livelihoods are already being lost to more frequent and severe disasters. The risk of bushfires, drought, floods and heatwaves is increasing. Billions are… -
Commission - General
4 November 2025Media Release
Urgent action on climate change essential for human rights
The Australian Human Rights Commission is calling for urgent action from government and business to address the escalating impacts of climate change on Australians’ human rights. Launching its first major report on climate change, Human rights on a warming Earth, Commission President Hugh de Kretser said, ‘The evidence on the extreme threat to humans posed by climate change is clear. By… -
Commission - General
9 October 2025Media Release
Finalists announced for 2025 Australian Human Rights Awards
A diverse group of human rights advocates has been named as finalists in the 2025 Australian Human Rights Awards, ranging from youth support workers and filmmakers to justice advocates and medical professionals. -
Commission - General
3 October 2025Publication
Annual Report 2024-25
The Annual Report is our primary performance reporting document for our activities over the period 2024-25, including our financial statements. -
Commission - General
10 October 2025Speech
Achieving stronger legal human rights protections in Australia
Hugh de Kretser discusses progress and setbacks in Australia's human rights protections at the annual Castan Centre for Human Rights Law Conference in July 2025. -
Commission - General
14 October 2025Speech
Alan Missen Oration 2025
Hugh de Kretser speaks about the legacy of Alan Missen and how his values are reflected in the ongoing work of the Australian Human Rights Commission. 26 August 2025 -
Commission - General
9 September 2025E-bulletin (Monthly)
President's message | September 2025
Migration and addressing racism in Australia Migration has fuelled modern Australia’s success. It is connected to our economic prosperity and national character. Half of us have at least one parent born overseas and a quarter are born overseas. There has been bipartisan political support for a non-discriminatory migration policy since the 1970’s and there is strong and consistent public… -
Commission - General
4 August 2025Speech
A Human Rights Vision for Rural and Regional Australia
Hugh de Kretser discusses human rights issues facing regional, rural and remote Australian communities at the July 2025 Community Legal Centres NSW Summit. Limited access to healthcare and education, the impact of climate change and disasters and justice for First Nations communities are just some of the challenges rural communities experience in Australia. -
Commission - General
5 April 2024Webpage
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Katie Kiss
Katie Kiss commenced as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner on 3 April 2024. She is a proud Kaanju and Birri/Widi woman. -
Commission - General
3 October 2025E-bulletin (Monthly)
AHRC President's message | October 2025
Two years on from 7 October 2023, the need to address racism against affected communities in Australia is urgent -
Commission - General
6 August 2025E-bulletin (Monthly)
President's message | August 2025
Dear friends, Protecting people's rights in rural and regional Australia People living in rural, regional and remote areas of Australia face greater challenges in realising their human rights than people in the cities. So it was good to speak about this at the recent rural, regional and remote community legal centre summit in Port Macquarie. Jesuit Social Services’ Dropping off the Edge… -
Commission - General
29 August 2025Publication
Corporate Plan 2025-26
The Corporate Plan covers the four-year period to 2028–29. It identifies the strategic and operating framework in which the Commission operates and the actions we will take to achieve our purpose. -
Commission - General
17 June 2025Media Release
Who will be Australia’s 2025 human rights heroes?
The search is on to recognise Australia’s leading human rights defenders and advocates who strive to improve the lives of people across the country. Australia’s peak human rights body is calling for nominations for the Australian Human Rights Awards. The Australian Human Rights Commission is encouraging people to nominate people and organisations whose work inspires them. “The awards… -
Commission - General
13 May 2025E-bulletin (Monthly)
President's message | May 2025
Cost of living issues are human rights issues Someone said to me just before election day that human rights hadn’t featured much in the federal election campaign. It’s true that the words “human rights” didn’t feature much - but human rights issues did. This was an election about the cost of living in Australia and human rights has a lot to say about that. Australia has promised to protect… -
Commission - General
8 December 2023Media Release
Australia’s human rights champions put social justice and equality centre stage
Women’s equity and racial equality advocate Juliana Nkrumah AM has been awarded the prestigious Human Rights Medal at the 2023 Australian Human Rights Awards in Sydney tonight. Other awards went to Gabriel Osborne (Young People’s Award), Northern Pictures (Media and Creative Industries Award), Advocacy Tasmania (Community Award) and the Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia (Law… -
Commission - General
4 June 2025Speech
Financial Counselling Australia Conference
Hugh de Kretser discusses the importance of truth telling, what he learned working at the Yoorrook Justice Commission, human rights values and the need for Human Rights Acts. -
Commission - General
19 September 2023News story
Opportunities to lead Australia’s human rights work
The Attorney-General’s Department is seeking expressions of interest from human rights leaders and experts for two key roles at the Commission – President, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner. The current position holders President Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM and Commissioner June Oscar AO will end their tenures in July and April 2024… -
Commission - General
11 June 2025E-bulletin (Monthly)
President's message | June 2025
We must end the practice of police investigating police deaths in custody Two recent Aboriginal deaths in custody in the Northern Territory have again raised questions about the treatment of First Nations people in Australia’s criminal justice systems. Kumanjayi White, a 24 year-old Warlpiri man with disability, died in Alice Springs on 27 May after being restrained by police on the floor of… -
Commission - General
7 March 2025Media Release
Australian women are diverse, so the approach to women’s safety should be as well
This International Women’s Day, the Commissioners at the Australian Human Rights Commission stand together to call for urgent action to ensure that all women and girls—of every background, age or disability—can live free from violence, discrimination, and inequality. This year’s International Women’s Day theme, “For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment,” is a reminder that… -
Commission - General
31 October 2024Speech
Eastern Community Legal Centre Multidisciplinary Forum
Hugh de Kretser discusses the impact of multidisciplinary legal practice, highlighting the intersection of legal and social issues and the importance of integrated support.