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A new parliamentary report recommending a National Human Rights Act as part of a revitalised Human Rights Framework brings Australia closer than ever before to establishing the basic legal protections that Australians need. The report, tabled in Federal Parliament today, includes an example of legislation for a National Human Rights Act, building on decades of work and reinforcing…

With a plethora of issues currently impacting significantly on the rights of people across Australia, an upcoming landmark national conference during the Vivid Sydney festival is set to explore a range of new approaches to protecting and promoting human rights in Australia. Concerns about racism and freedom of speech stemming from the impact of the war in Gaza; Australia’s domestic violence,…

Vivid Sydney festivalgoers looking for some fabulous intellectual entertainment can now have double the fun at the Rights On Time panel show on Thursday 6 June with a 2-for-1 ticket offer now available! Get set for the time of your rights as ‘sleek geek’ Adam Spencer corrals some of Australia’s favourite TV personalities, comedians, legal eagles and social justice advocates as they travel…

Waleed Aly, Michael Kirby, Jennifer Robinson, Adam Spencer and Nazeem Hussain are part of a unique and compelling show during the upcoming Vivid Sydney festival which will explore how an Australian Human Rights Act could help stop rights going wrong in the future. Part of the Vivid Ideas program, Rights On Time puts a fresh spin on the panel format by locating Nazeem Hussain in a…

Age Discrimination Commissioner Robert Fitzgerald AM has warned the ongoing cost-of-living crisis is likely to lead to an increased risk of elder abuse with Australia needing to further bolster its efforts to address the nationwide problem. Elder abuse is when harm is done to an older person by someone they know and trust, often a family member. It can take many forms, including neglect,…

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Katie Kiss, has marked the start of Reconciliation Week by calling on Australians to finally overcome generations of disadvantage and division when it comes to First Nations rights, and forge a path for unity. The Commissioner warned that systemic failures facing Indigenous communities in all sectors of society including…

Organisers of a major national human rights conference have just announced a 60% discount for students who want to attend the historic gathering in June during the Vivid Sydney festival. Presented by the Australian Human Rights Commission, the Free + Equal Human Rights Conference is set to attract hundreds of delegates from across Australia’s human rights, civil society, legal, justice,…

Australia’s Age Discrimination Commissioner, Robert Fitzgerald AM, has called on the Federal Government to formally endorse the creation of a UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons, in what he said remains a missing piece in the international human rights framework. Currently, there is no binding international instrument dedicated to the rights of older persons, like there is for race,…

Australia’s Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner and National Children’s Commissioner welcome the National Cabinet’s funding announcement to end gendered violence in Australia this morning.

Australia’s new Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Katie Kiss, said in the wake of the devastating outcome of last year’s Voice referendum, Australia must consider the next steps, and prioritise finding ways to heal and soothe divisions. This includes making meaningful progress in addressing the systemic and structural discrimination experienced by First…

As the launch of National Child Protection Week throws the spotlight on creating better futures where children and young people flourish, the National Children’s Commissioner Anne Hollonds is speaking up for the thousands of children whose futures are bleak because Australian governments do not prioritise their human rights to safety, care and protection. Commissioner Hollonds said: “It was…

Two of Australia’s most famous legal eagles are set to team up to prosecute the case for an Australian Human Rights Act at an historic two-day forum in June during the Vivid Sydney festival. Eminent international jurist and former High Court judge Michael Kirby and leading international human rights lawyer Jennifer Robinson (who represents Julian Assange) will tag team at the Free + Equal…

Leading human rights advocates from across Australia and around the world are set to give a massive boost to efforts to introduce an Australian Human Rights Act at a historic forum in June during the Vivid Sydney festival. The final line-up of speakers has just been announced with more than 60 eminent experts, thought leaders, social justice advocates and community heroes set to provide a…

Today, representatives from the Australian Human Rights Commission, including the Sex Discrimination Commissioner, will attend the hearing of Tickle v Giggle for Girls Pty Ltd at the Federal Court. Roxanne Tickle was refused access to a social networking app described as being ‘made for women by women’. Ms Tickle alleges that she was refused access because she is a trans woman, and that this…

The Australian Human Rights Commission will undertake further anti-racism work to support communities in Australia affected by the war in Gaza and the Middle East, supported by a $2 million grant from the Commonwealth. The grant responds to an increase in racism targeting Palestinian, Muslim, Arab, and Jewish communities within Australia since the outbreak of the conflict. Australian Human…