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Two years on from 7 October 2023, the need to address racism against affected communities in Australia is urgent

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…

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…

Dear friends, Australia is one of the safest, most stable and prosperous countries on the planet. For most of us, most of the time, it is a great place to live. For many Australians, human rights violations are things that happen to other people in other places, often overseas. This can lead to complacency about our own rights protection and the importance of protecting the rights of those…

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…

The Australian Human Rights Commission is a vital national institution which has been promoting justice and human rights for Australians for close to forty years. It is an honour to write to you as the Commission’s new President.

Commission News May 2020 Commissioner update COVID-19 Dear friends, As we come to grips with a new way of living (at least for now), we are reminded of how fortunate we are to be living in Australia. Measures to control COVID-19 appear to have been relatively successful—particularly in comparison with other first world nations. But it has not been without significant sacrifices. The impact…

Commission News June 2020 Commissioner update COVID-19 Dear friends, The last few weeks have seen a gradual return to some of our pre-pandemic freedoms in many parts of Australia. While physical distancing remains a vital element to maintaining low infection rates, it is clear that we welcome the opportunity to visit loved ones, travel and socialise. The Lucky Country, a term used favourably…

It's Human Rights Day; a day to reflect on human rights challenges and progress. 76 years ago today, the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, one of the pinnacles of human achievement. In adopting the Declaration after the horrors of World War 2, the international community said, “never again”. The Declaration lists 30 rights that are essential for all of us…

Community Alert Commissioner Update - COVID-19 Dear friends, We are living through an extraordinary challenge for our society and our community—A public health crisis the world has not seen since the Spanish Flu pandemic in 1918. These remarkable times have seen our governments take unprecedented measures to contain the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic to save lives. The actions taken by our …

Dear friends, I am pleased to report the Free + Equal Conference was a resounding success. A big thank you to everyone who participated in these timely and significant discussions about human rights and the urgent need for a Human Rights Act in Australia. A snapshot of the conference: 700+ delegates pledged support for a national Human Rights Act 60+ speakers 1200+ attendees over two days 12…

Our Free + Equal project at the Castan Centre, conference and Rights On Time panel show in Sydney in June and new commissioners start.