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Commission – General
5 September 2021WebpageHuman Rights Commissioner, Ms Lorraine Finlay
Learn about Lorraine Finlay, who commenced as Human Rights Commissioner in 2021 after working as a lawyer and academic specialising in human rights. -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
9 August 2019SpeechReflections: Our Health, Our Way conference
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner June Oscar AO addressed the AMSANT Our Health Our Way Conference in the Alice Springs on August 7. The topic was 'Personal Reflection'. Jalangurru maninga balanggarri. Yaningi yatharra ngindaji yuwa muwayi ingirranggu Arrente yani U. I acknowledge the Arrente people, and all of you and your families and elders past, present… -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
31 July 2023Webpage
Voice Referendum: Understanding the referendum from a human rights perspective
The Commission has produced a resource kit to encourage the Australian public to consider the Uluru Statement from the Heart and the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum through a human rights lens. The resources seek to minimise harm by encouraging cultural humility and focusing the conversation on human rights principles as they relate to the referendum and proposed Voice to Parliament. -
Rights and Freedoms
28 July 2020Opinion pieceWearing a mask will protect human liberties, not infringe upon them
There’s been a lot of talk, anger and resistance to the changes of our rights and freedoms as Australia deals with the COVID-19 pandemic. In some way or another, each and every one of us has encountered restrictions – on our freedom of movement, the right to peaceful protest, the ability to engage in public areas without wearing masks and the requirement to provide personal information for… -
Business and Human Rights
22 December 2021Media ReleaseAustralian and New Zealand Human Rights Commissions and FIFA publish Human Rights Risk Assessment ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™
The Australian Human Rights Commission, the New Zealand Human Rights Commission along with FIFA have today published a Human Rights Risk Assessment for the next FIFA Women's World Cup, to be held in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand in 2023. The assessment examined the potential human rights impact of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ on players, spectators, workers and local communities in … -
Disability Rights
20 September 2022SpeechDisability Discrimination Commissioner's Speech at the 2022 Jobs and Skills Summit
The participation rate for people with disability is and has remained at 53% for 28 years. The participation rate for people without disability is 83%. -
Commission – General
27 July 2023Speech
A new national human rights framework for Australia
Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM FAAL FRSA FACLM(Hon) delivered this speech at The Annual Castan Centre for Human Rights Law Conference on 21 July 2023. Overview The Australian Human Rights Commission is reaching the conclusion of its Free and Equal project, identifying what the national system for protecting human rights should be in Australia. In this keynote, President Croucher… -
Disability Rights
28 November 2023News story
Commission welcomes new Disability Discrimination Commissioner
The Australian Human Rights Commission welcomes the appointment of Rosemary Kayess to the role of Disability Discrimination Commissioner. “On behalf of Commissioners and staff I warmly welcome Ms Kayess to the Commission. She is a leading disability and human rights lawyer who has been extremely influential in her work in international human rights law for people with disability,” said… -
Children's Rights
12 July 2019SpeechChildren’s right to safety and a holistic education
Good morning, everyone and thank you for inviting me to be here today to talk to you about the importance of children’s rights. I’d like to begin by also acknowledging the traditional owners of the land, and paying my respects to elders past, present and emerging. I’d also like to acknowledge any Indigenous guests who are present with us today. I’m going to start by telling you a little… -
Race Discrimination
18 March 2021Publication
Racial Equality Review of Basketball Australia (2021)
In August 2020, the Australian Human Rights Commission (the Commission) was engaged by Basketball Australia to undertake an independent Racial Equality Review (‘the Review’) of the sport at a national level -
Disability Rights
5 April 2024Webpage
Simon Katterl
Learn about IncludeAbility Ambassador Simon Katterl who identifies as having mental health and now runs a business that consults with mental health services. -
Rights and Freedoms
17 January 2019Media Release
Finalists announced – 2018 Human Rights Law Award
The five finalists for the 2018 Human Rights Awards’ Law Award have been selected, with two from Western Australia competing for the prize. “We have received the highest number of entries for the Law Award since the Human Rights Awards the awards began in 1987,” said Commission President, Professor Rosalind Croucher. Accessing legal services remains a major hurdle for disadvantaged… -
Sex Discrimination
3 December 2020SpeechThe Beijing Platform for Action, 25 years on: Progress, Retreat and the Future of Women's Rights
Beijing Platform for Action at 25: Progress, Retreat and the Future of Women's Rights Opening Address Thursday 3 December, 10:00 am Kate Jenkins, Sex Discrimination Commissioner Hello everyone. My name is Kate Jenkins, and I have had the honour of serving as Australia’s Sex Discrimination Commissioner for the past four years. I would like to begin by acknowledging the traditional lands of… -
Business and Human Rights
19 December 2023Submission
Victim-survivors of Forced Marriage
Learn more about how forced marriage violates human rights and how Australia can better protect victim-survivors. -
Children's Rights
16 November 2021Media Release
Proposal to raise the age does not go far enough
All 16 of Australia’s children’s commissioners, guardians and advocates say a commitment by state attorneys-general to develop a proposal to raise the age of criminal responsibility to 12 does not go far enough. In a joint statement, Australian children’s commissioners, guardians and advocates said: “We are pleased that some jurisdictions have for the first time indicated they will look at… -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
19 April 2024Publication
Yongah Hill Immigration Detention Inspection Report
In 2023, the Commission monitored the human rights of people detained at the Yongah Hill Immigration Detention Centre. The Commission’s inspection report provides 33 recommendations, noting key observations and concerns. -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
2 December 2020Publication
Inspections of Australia's immigration detention facilities 2019 Report
Human Rights Commissioner’s foreword For several decades, the Australian Human Rights Commission has expressed deep and longstanding concern about the human rights of people held in Australia’s immigration detention facilities. As a result of our most recent inspection process, that concern has deepened. Some of the issues of greatest concern to the Commission are as follows. A number of… -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
15 July 2021Speech
LexisNexis webinar
Welcome everyone. Before we begin, I would like to acknowledge the country upon which each of us stands today. I myself stand upon my Bunuba land here in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. I acknowledge and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging across all the lands and waters of this nation. Thank you for inviting me to speak today. I would like to thank LexisNexis and… -
Rights and Freedoms
21 September 2023Media Release
Human Rights Commissioner critical of COVID inquiry scope
Australia’s Human Rights Commissioner has welcomed the Federal Government’s announcement of an inquiry into Australia’s handling of the COVID pandemic but has criticised the inquiry’s terms of reference for not having a specific focus on human rights impacts and for excluding the unilateral actions of state and territory governments. Today Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed the… -
Commission – General
23 November 2020Webpage
Common questions about Covid-19
The Australian Human Rights Commission works to help safeguard the human rights of all people in our community.