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Dear friends, I’m pleased to share the Australian Human Rights Commission’s Annual Report 2023-24 which has been tabled in the Australian Parliament. In my first three months in this role, one of the things that has struck me is the breadth and depth of the Commission’s work. Our Annual Report highlights this. One of the Commission’s core functions is providing access to justice for people…

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…

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.

Celebrating human rights heroes in 2020 Every year the Commission holds the Human Rights Awards to celebrate human rights achievements. However, given the extraordinary circumstances of 2020 we believe a new and different approach is needed to celebrate the many human rights heroes who have emerged this year. View a short video from our Commissioners, and follow our social media pages as an …

Welcoming our new Children's Commissioner, Anne Hollonds Anne Hollonds commences her role as Australia’s National Children’s Commissioner today. Anne brings with her a wealth of experience as an advocate for children and young people. She has worked as the CEO of Relationships Australia, the Benevolent Society and – most recently – the Australian Institute of Family Studies. The Commission…

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…

Support for Anti-Racism Framework In a report published in February, the Senate inquiry on ‘issues facing diaspora communities’ recommended funding the development of a comprehensive national anti-racism framework and to consider resourcing the Race Discrimination Commissioner to reinvigorate the existing National Anti-Racism Strategy. Race Discrimination Commissioner Chin Tan spoke to Nine …