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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
11 May 2023Media ReleaseAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women to ‘design’ their future with new national approach to First Nations gender justice
Bold new approaches from First Nations Australian women for improving their future have been unveiled at a historic summit in Canberra, including a new National Framework for Action and a new dedicated First Nations Gender Justice Institute at the Australian National University. The new measures have been highlighted at the Wiyi Yani U Thangani (Women’s Voices) National Summit, Australia’s… -
14 December 2012Book page
Appendix 3 - Indigenous Languages - A National Approach: Social Justice Report 2009
The most recent report on Indigenous languages in Australia, the National Indigenous Languages Survey (NILS) Report 2005, found that the situation of Australia’s Indigenous languages is grave and requires urgent action. Of the 145 Indigenous languages still spoken in Australia, 110 are critically endangered. All of Australia’s Indigenous languages face an uncertain future if immediate… -
Disability Rights
14 December 2012SpeechAccessible Procurement: A Market Driven Approach Which Benefits All Australians
Some of you might recall media coverage regarding a young man undergoing cancer treatment who was required to attend a job capacity assessment the day he got out of hospital, to establish his entitlement to disability support payments. -
Disability Rights
9 December 2024Speech
Commissioner Rosemary Kayess is awarded honorary doctorate
Disability Discrimination Commissioner, Rosemary Kayess was awarded a Doctor of Laws honoris causa by the University of New South Wales (UNSW). The honorary degree was conferred in recognition of Commissioner Kayess’ immense and growing impact both internationally and in Australia. -
Commission – General
14 December 2012SpeechPresident Speech: A human rights-based approach to immigrant women’s issues (2011)
I would like to begin by joining other speakers in acknowledging the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation, the traditional owners of the land upon which we meet. I pay my respects to their elders, both past and present. -
14 December 2012Book page
Native Title Report 2004 : Chapter 3 : Looking Forward - A Policy Approach to Native Title
The framework of principles presented in chapter 2 of this Report puts the economic and social development of the traditional owner group at the centre of the native title process. It seeks to build the power and capacity of the traditional owner group to direct and achieve its own economic and social development. It sees the native title system as a tool to assist traditional owners in this… -
Rights and Freedoms
24 February 2014Opinion pieceWhy I’ll take the approach of a classical liberal to human rights
As Human Rights Commissioner I want to promote a culture of rights and responsibilities so that every Australian understands their rights and confidently stands up for them against government encroachment. Because human rights are a political construct, there are numerous ways that they can be approached. Each perspective weights the relative integrity of rights when they come into conflict… -
14 December 2012Book page
Social Justice Report 2006: Media Release - Government approach to Indigenous affairs seriously flawed
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Tom Calma has called on the federal Government to address serious flaws in their Indigenous affairs programs and services. -
14 December 2012Book page
Chapter 3: A human rights-based approach to lateral violence - Social Justice Report 2011
When we look at the many issues that face Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, it is easy to get paralysed by their complexity, entrenched nature and the sheer size of the challenge. But as an optimist, I believe that there is a lot that we can do to address these problems. There are many different tools available to suit the varying circumstances that face our diverse communities… -
Children's Rights
26 November 2024Opinion pieceAustralian parents and kids deserve better
In a joint op-ed, National Children's Commissioner Anne Hollonds and Human Rights Commissioner Lorraine Finlay contend that the proposed ban on social media access for Australians under 16 merely addresses surface issues without improving overall safety on these platforms. -
14 December 2012Book page
Achieving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health equality within a generation - A human rights based approach
Improving the health status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is a longstanding challenge for governments in Australia. While there have been improvements made in some areas since the 1970s (notably in reducing high rates of infant mortality1) overall progress has been slow and inconsistent. The inequality gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other… -
Children's Rights
11 October 2024Media Release
We must ‘help way earlier’ – united call to address systemic failures of Australia’s youth justice systems
Joint media release: Justice Reform Initiative and Australian Human Rights Commission Law and justice leaders, parliamentarians, First Nations leaders, child safety advocates, community service providers, peak organisations, and people with lived experience of child imprisonment from around Australia will come together for a landmark parliamentary event in Canberra on Thursday. Amid an… -
Children's Rights
11 October 2024News story
NT Government urged not to lower age of criminal responsibility
The National Children’s Commissioner and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Commissioner have urged the Northern Territory Government to reverse its plan next week to introduce a new law to lower the age of criminal responsibility from 12 to ten years. -
14 December 2012Book page
Corporate Responsibility - Developing principles on Resource Development on Indigenous land: A Human Rights based approach
These Principles were developed by a forum of Indigenous people from Australia's major mineral resource regions, held in Alice Springs in May 2002. Participants had a depth of experience and expertise in areas across the country, but the process did not make any claim to represent a national Indigenous view. The forum was co-hosted by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice… -
Commission – General
9 October 2024E-bulletin (Monthly)
October 2024: Commission News | President's message
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… -
14 December 2012Book page
Native Title Report 2005 : Media Release : Social Justice Commissioner argues a different approach to the Indigenous land tenure debate
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commissioner, Tom Calma, argues in the Native Title Report 2005 that the Australian Government's proposal to encourage individual leases on Indigenous land will not necessarily lead to improved economic outcomes for Indigenous people. -
14 December 2012Book page
Corporate Responsibility - Developing principles on Resource Development on Indigenous land: Human Rights Based Approach to Mining on Aboriginal Land
Human rights constitute the ethical basis of the social contract between those who exercise power and accrue wealth, and those whose lives are affected by this exercise and accrual. Where such a relationship has no ethical basis and is inconsistent with human rights principles it is not a sustainable relationship. Coercion may prolong it for some time but this is costly to maintain and eventually… -
14 December 2012Book page
Social Justice Report 2005 : Chapter 2 : Achieving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health equality within a generation - A human rights based approach
Improving the health status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is a longstanding challenge for governments in Australia. While there have been improvements made in some areas since the 1970s (notably in reducing high rates of infant mortality1) overall progress has been slow and inconsistent. The inequality gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other… -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
14 December 2012Speech
Mental illness and cognitive disability in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners – a human rights approach (2012)
I would like to begin by acknowledging the Gimuy Walubara Yidinji people of the Cairns region on whose land we gather today. I pay my respects to their Elders past and present. -
Children's Rights
23 August 2024Media Release
A step backwards for child justice and community safety in Queensland
The Queensland Government’s ‘Community Safety Act’ allowing more children to be locked up in the first instance is another step backwards for child justice and community safety, National Children’s Commissioner Anne Hollonds said. “We all want to live in communities where kids can flourish and where everyone is safe, especially children. But this approach to offending by children doesn’t…