Refine results
-
Commission – General
25 May 2020Opinion pieceTurning the Uluru Statement into action
On the ancient lands of the Anangu, dust settled and ink dried on a document that marked an extraordinary moment in Australia’s history. From all points of the southern sky, we gathered in the centre of the country we’ve called home for more than 60 thousand years, to endorse a statement that would pave the way for First Nations peoples to have a voice enshrined in the Constitution. A voice… -
Commission – General
22 May 2020Opinion piece
COVID-19's unexpected lessons
Six weeks ago I returned to my traditional homeland near Fitzroy Crossing in Western Australia. Thanks to modern technology, I am working remotely and continuing my duties as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner. Like many Aboriginal people, I chose to return to country because COVID-19 travel restrictions made homeland communities the safest place to see out the… -
Rights and Freedoms
21 April 2020Opinion pieceResisting extremism in a pandemic
When the COVID-19 pandemic spread to this big island of ours, our leaders made a momentous decision: they decided to save as many human lives as possible. This was the right decision. It shows we as a country care about human life above all else. But now we face an even harder question: how to save lives while preventing economic collapse and staying true to our democratic values? In order… -
Rights and Freedoms
15 November 2019Opinion piece
Freedom of speech and Annika Smethurst
Opinion piece by Commission President Rosalind Croucher published in the Australian newspaper The raids on the home of News Corp journalist Annika Smethurst and the offices of the ABC have highlighted the vulnerability of press freedom in Australia compared to other similar liberal democracies. The offences being investigated, as set out in the relevant warrants, included alleged offences by… -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
29 May 2019Opinion pieceIndigenous Australians can be bystanders no longer
Explore the opinion piece on Indigenous Australians and bystander intervention. -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
17 January 2019Opinion piece
Turning the tide on Indigenous children in out of home care
Child protection intervention in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families across the country is at crisis point. Women are telling me it’s like another stolen generation and as I travel across Australia hearing their stories, it certainly does feel that way. As the 2018 Family Matters report reveals, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children make up just over 36 per cent of all… -
Commission – General
3 July 2018Opinion piece
Criminal record discrimination
This article by Commission President Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher was published in the Australian July 4, 2018 I recently provided a report to the Attorney-General about a man who claimed that he had been refused a job because of his criminal record. The criminal record was very serious. Ten years ago, he had been convicted of accessing and possessing child pornography. The law and… -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
24 May 2018Opinion piece
The Wiyi Yani U Thangani (Women's Voices) project so far...
The following opinion piece by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner June Oscar appeared on ABC Online on May 24, 2018 Next month, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians will celebrate NAIDOC week — with the theme Because of Her We Can. It's because of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner June Oscar AO that… -
Disability Rights
8 March 2018Opinion piece25 years of the Disability Discrimination Act
It was 25 years ago this month that the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) (the ‘DDA’) commenced operation. On 1 March 1993, Australians with a dis¬ability had a national law that was designed to provide them with equality in many areas of life. Over the past quarter of a cen¬tury, the DDA has contributed significant¬ly to social change for people with disability and has been used by -
Business and Human Rights
31 October 2017Opinion pieceSlavery is a bigger problem now than when it was ‘abolished’ - and it's happening here
A diverse group of leaders from the Australian business community, civil society, the religious community and academia has released a Statement of Support for the development of legislation to combat Modern Slavery.