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Commission – General
14 December 2012SpeechPresident speech: How human rights can promote the wellbeing of children in Australia
I would like to begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation, and pay my respects to their elders past and present. -
Rights and Freedoms
17 December 2014PublicationFree Speech 2014 Symposium Papers
This report is a collection of the presentations given by the various speakers at Free Speech 2014. These papers represent the views of the speakers, not the Commission. Whilst some minor edits have been made to the original transcripts, the Commission has maintained the integrity of the speeches as they were delivered on the day. -
Race Discrimination
5 February 2024News story
Commission welcomes new Race Discrimination Commissioner
The Australian Human Rights Commission welcomes the appointment of Giridharan Sivaraman as the new Race Discrimination Commissioner. “We are very excited by this appointment. On behalf of the Commission, I would like to warmly welcome Giridharan Sivaraman to the role of Race Discrimination Commissioner,” said Commission President, Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM. “For decades, the… -
Rights and Freedoms
8 April 2014Opinion piece
Free speech, the public service and civilising behaviour
Before anyone screams "free speech", they should actually know what they are talking about. Earlier this week the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet released new social media protocols. The protocols limit the capacity of public servants to make statements that are "harsh or extreme in their criticism of the government, government policies, a member of Parliament from another political… -
Rights and Freedoms
3 March 2023Speech
Promoting and protecting human rights in Australia
The Australian Human Rights Commission: promoting and protecting human rights in Australia St Andrew’s College, University of Sydney, 14 July 2022 Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM FAAL Abstract This presentation explores the role of the Australian Human Rights Commission in the context of the international human rights treaties and its establishment as part of the domestic mechanisms … -
Commission – General
14 December 2012Speech
President speech: NSW Young Lawyers
I would like to begin by acknowledging the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation, the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, and pay my respect to their elders past and present. -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
27 March 2024Media ReleaseCommissioner June Oscar welcomes Institute funding
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner June Oscar welcomed the Commonwealth’s funding of the new Wiyi Yani U Thangani Institute for First Nations Gender Justice at the Australian National University. The Institute is the first of its kind in the world and will bring together First Nations researchers to develop and design initiatives to improve outcomes for… -
Commission – General
14 December 2012Speech
President Speech: 2010 Human Rights Day Oration
We meet today on the lands of the Gadigal peoples of the Eora nation. On behalf of the Australian Human Rights Commission I pay my respect to their elders past and present. -
Rights and Freedoms
14 April 2022Speech
Address to the 2022 Friendship and Dialogue Iftar Dinner
Affinity Intercultural Foundation, NSW Parliament House 13th Friendship and Dialogue Iftar Dinner Wednesday 13 April 2022 Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM As-salamu alaykum: may peace be upon you. Acknowledgements Our Parliamentary hosts, distinguished guests, of whom there are indeed many, friends. Thank you to Ahmet Polat and his team at Affinity Intercultural Foundation for… -
Commission – General
15 March 2024Speech
Australian Human Rights Commission’s complaint handling jurisdiction
Civil Justice Research Conference 2019 Macquarie University, Sydney Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM [ Professor Croucher spoke to this paper] Abstract The complaint handling role of the Australian Human Rights Commission from time to time attracts some attention in the media—but not always for constructive reasons. This presentation set out the real story. It is one that is a worthy… -
Rights and Freedoms
3 August 2023News story
Forum to end mistreatment of people with disability in detention
Learn more about the National Forum on Cruel, Degrading and Inhumane Treatment of People with Disability and Mental Health Disorders in Detention. -
Technology and Human Rights
15 May 2023Opinion piece‘Weaponised' AI an existential threat to truth, human rights
This opinion piece by Human Rights Commissioner Lorraine Finlay appeared in The Australian on Monday 15 May 2023. In George Orwell's 1984, the Ministry of Truth exercises absolute control of information according to The Party ethos, “Who controls the past, controls the future: who controls the present, controls the past”. If the Ministry of Truth existed today, a more accurate slogan would… -
Business and Human Rights
30 November 2022SpeechExecutive discretion in a time of COVID-19
Responses to the COVID-19 pandemic have required very quick action by governments. But those responses have also involved significant limitations on people’s rights and freedoms, especially freedom of movement, and implemented through executive power often with limited parliamentary involvement. -
Disability Rights
16 April 2024Webpage
Ambassador Profile - Tim Ferguson
Acclaimed comedian, screenwriter, author, actor, comedy coach, advocate, and patron of MS Australia, Tim Ferguson talks about disability rights, employment and humour! -
Race Discrimination
16 March 2015Opinion piece
Free thinking?
Many say freedom of expression means nothing if it doesn’t entail a freedom to offend others. Enjoying such freedom means that you may also have to tolerate hurtful or distasteful speech. But what if the burden of tolerance is not borne equally? What if some forms of speech wound not merely sensibilities but also another person’s dignity? How should a liberal democracy treat forms of speech… -
Sex Discrimination
17 January 2019Project
National Inquiry into Sexual Harassment in Australian Workplaces
On 5 March 2020, 'Respect@Work, the Australian Human Rights Commission’s report of the National Inquiry into Sexual Harassment in Australian Workplaces' was released by Kate Jenkins, the Sex Discrimination Commissioner. -
Rights and Freedoms
29 November 2016Speech
Human rights in action: the role of social workers in detention
Speech to Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) Queensland State Social Work Conference University of Queensland, St Lucia Campus – Lecture Theatre Room 234, Parnell Building Check against delivery Acknowledgements: the traditional Aboriginal owners of the land, the Turrbal and Jagera people Australian Association of Social Workers and Professor Karen Healy AM (National President) … -
Rights and Freedoms
17 January 2019Speech
Alice Tay Lecture in Law and Human Rights 2018 - ‘Rights-mindedness’
‘Rights-mindedness’ — making human rights real in public service and community understanding 70 years after the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Alice Tay Lecture in Law and Human Rights 2018 Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM President, Australian Human Rights Commission Sir Roland Wilson Building Canberra 25 September 2018 Abstract A key function of the Australian… -
Rights and Freedoms
20 May 2014Opinion piece
Twitter trolls have a right to offend – but we don't have to listen
Storms on social media demonstrate we don't need laws to regulate free speech – social norms are enough Internet outrage tells us more about how we ensure civil conduct face-to-face, than how we behave online. People behave in strange ways online. But social media provides the clearest evidence of people behaving on their first instinct. All that the internet has demonstrated is there were… -
Rights and Freedoms
8 February 2016Opinion piece
Another 'aberration' shows that 18C is the problem and must be changed
State and federal governments should reform laws that make offensive acts unlawful and refocus them on protecting free speech and stopping workplace and public harassment. This week a news story broke about a complaint made under section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act by a Queensland University of Technology employee. Section 18C makes it unlawful to "offend, insult, humiliate or…