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Commission - General
4 August 2025SpeechA 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
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… -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
24 June 2025SpeechRacial Justice Fundraising Dinner
Introduction: Country, Sovereignty, Truth Good evening, all. Ladies, gentlemen, distinguished guests. As a proud Kaanju, Birri/Widi Woman from North Queensland who grew up on the lands of the Darumbal People in Rockhampton, I acknowledge and pay my deepest respects to the Gadigal people of the Eora nation – the traditional custodians of the land on which we gather tonight. I honour their… -
Business and Human Rights
7 July 2025E-bulletin (Monthly)President's message | July 2025
Dear friends, Without truth there can be no justice. On Tuesday, the Yoorrook Justice Commission’s remarkable four-year journey ended with the publication of its final reports and public record. Yoorrook was the first formal truth-telling inquiry into injustices against First Peoples in Victoria. Led by four First Peoples Commissioners and a non-Indigenous Commissioner, it changed Victoria… -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
10 June 2025Speech
2025 AIATSIS Summit: Voices of Empowerment Strengthening our Future
This keynote speech, delivered on Larrakia Country by Commissioner Katie Kiss at the 2025 AIATSIS Summit calls for urgent reform of the Native Title system and implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to achieve true empowerment, justice, and self-determination for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
2 June 2025Speech
Mabo Oration 2025 One Land – Two Laws – It’s Black and White
Acknowledgements Good evening, all Distinguished guests, Elders, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander family, community, friends and colleagues - and my family, children and grandchildren who are here tonight – particularly my sister Kerry who has travelled from Rockhampton to be here, and my Aunty Kathy – my mum’s sister and the matriarch of our family who travelled from Sydney. My name is… -
Legal
14 December 2012WebpageInquiry into Access to Justice (2009)
Inquiry into Access to Justice Australian Human Rights Commission Submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee 20 October 2009 Download in Word [268 KB] Download in PDF [77 KB] Table of Contents 1 Introduction 2 Summary 3 Recommendations 4 Access to justice for Indigenous Australians 4.1 Over representation of Indigenous people in the criminal justice system and… -
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. -
Rights and Freedoms
13 April 2015Book page
Our work plan for 2014-15
Priority: Human rights education and promotion We work to build awareness of rights and freedoms across the community, encouraging a culture of respect and responsibility that values dignity. To make this a reality, the Commission creates a range of community engagement and human rights education programs to engage with a broad cross-section of the community. We use tools such as social… -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
8 May 2025Speech
UTS Centre for Indigenous People and Work Launch
Commissioner Katie Kiss launched the University of Technology Sydney's new Centre for Indigenous People and Work. -
Disability Rights
10 May 2013Project
Access to justice in the criminal justice system for people with disability
Synopsis The Report focuses on people with disabilities who need communication supports or who have complex and multiple support needs and who have come in contact with the criminal justice system. Negative assumptions and attitudes, coupled with a lack of support services and minimal provision of adjustments, often means that people with disabilities are viewed as not credible, not capable… -
Race Discrimination
11 June 2025Media ReleaseCommission marks 50 years of Australia’s Racial Discrimination Act
Today marks 50 years since the passage of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (RDA) through the Australian Parliament. -
Disability Rights
16 December 2013Publication
Access to Justice for People with Disability in the Justice System
Global business law firm DLA Piper has worked in partnership with the Australian Human Rights Commission to address issues facing people with disabilities wanting better access to Australia's criminal justice system. The Commission led an investigation into the barriers people who need communications support, or have multiple or complex support needs, face in the criminal justice system. The… -
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. -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
14 December 2012Book page
Social Justice Report 2006: Chapter 2: The new arrangements for Indigenous affairs – facilitating Indigenous access to government services
Social Justice Report 2006 Back to Contents Chapter 2: The new arrangements for Indigenous affairs – facilitating Indigenous access to government services Back to Report Home (TOC) Chapter 1 Chapter 2 >> Chapter 3 Part 1: The challenge of ensuring equal access Background - the new arrangements for the administration of Indigenous affairs Indigenous disadvantage and human rights The…