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Commission – General
14 December 2012SpeechSeventh International Conference for National Human Rights Institutions
Torture and various forms of terrorism have been practiced throughout history, though never on the scale we are now confronted with. The first visual records of police interrogation were discovered in a four thousand year old tomb in ancient Egypt. Since the pharaohs there have been many refinements in methods of inducing physical pain and gathering intelligence, most notably during the Spanish… -
31 January 2013Webpage
2009 Human Rights Medal and Awards Winners
Since 1987, the Australian Human Rights Commission has recognised the often extraordinary contribution to Australian society of a wide variety of men and women committed to issues of human rights, social justice and equality through the annual Human Rights Medals and Awards. Each year we receive outstanding nominations for the Human Rights Medal, Young People’s Human Rights Medal and seven… -
Commission – General
17 January 2019Publication
Annual Report 2017-2018
This Annual Report sets out the performance of the Australian Human Rights Commission in the 2017–18 financial year. -
19 July 2013Project
Immigration detention, asylum seekers and refugees
The Commission seeks to ensure that the human rights of all people held in immigration detention in Australia are protected. The Commission has focused its recent immigration detention work on the conditions and treatment of asylum seekers, refugees and children, because they have specific vulnerabilities and are given special protections under international law. What’s new? Asylum seekers … -
14 December 2012Book page
Photos - Immigration detention in Leonora (2011)
The Australian Human Rights Commission visited the immigration detention facility in Leonora, Western Australia in November 2010. Photos taken during the Commission’s visit are set out below. -
Rights and Freedoms
14 December 2012Opinion pieceHuman Rights and the War against Terrorism (2003)
"A system of tyranny, the most galling, the most horrible, the most undisguised in all its parts and attributes that has stained the page of history or disgraced the annals of the world." British Prime Minister William Pitt, 10 November 1797, speech to the House of Commons concerning France under the government of the Directory. -
Rights and Freedoms
14 December 2012Speech
“The Relevance of Human Rights in Contemporary Australia”: Dr Sev Ozdowski OAM (2003)
1. Introduction 2. Emergence of International Human Rights 3. Impact of international human rights law on federal law 4. Moving forward on human rights protection -
4 February 2015Book page
5 What does the law say about detaining children?
5.1 Mandatory detention and lawfulness 5.2 Arbitrariness 5.3 Review of detention 5.4 Shortest appropriate period of time 5.5 Decision-making in relation to children 5.6 Minimum conditions of detention 5.7 Duty of care 5.8 Findings in relation to detention law, policy and practice Both domestic and international human rights law are clear when it comes to the detention of children. The… -
14 December 2012Book page
A last resort? - Summary Guide: Children with Disabilities
The Convention on the Rights of the Child is very clear that extra efforts must be taken to provide children with disabilities with the support they need to enjoy a 'full and decent life'. -
Commission – General
14 December 2012Speech
President speech: The National Human Rights Consultation: Outcomes
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. -
Legal
14 December 2012WebpageUpdated information from the Australian Human Rights Commission on Australia’s implementation of the ICCPR (2009)
Ms Nathalie Prouvez Secretary of the Human Rights Committee Human Rights Treaties Branch Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights CH-1211 Geneva 10 Switzerland -
14 December 2012Book page
A last resort? - Summary Guide: Safety in Detention Centres
Throughout the course of the Inquiry, a number of serious disturbances occurred in immigration detention centres, including riots, fires, hunger strikes, protests, self-harm and suicide attempts. -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
14 September 2016PublicationPathways to Protection: A human rights-based response to the flight of asylum seekers by sea
President’s introduction Australia’s policy of sending asylum seekers and refugees to Nauru and Papua New Guinea’s Manus Island for processing of their claims has been one of the most contentious aspects of Australia’s migration policies. Introduced in 2012, third country processing has been a key plank of successive Australian governments to deter asylum seekers from travelling to Australia by… -
6 February 2015Book page
Appendix 1 – Review of detention policy and practices 2004–2014
1.1 Overview 1.2 Key findings and recommendations from A last resort? 1.3 Key legislative and policy changes 1.4 New Directions in Detention policy 1.5 Third country processing 1.6 Indefinite detention on Christmas Island 1.7 Rapid offshore processing after September election 2013 1.8 Other policy decisions 1.9 Implementation of policy 1.10 Numbers and length of detention of children 2004 –… -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
10 July 2013Webpage
Immigration detention reports and photos
Immigration detention reports: The reports below published by the Commission outline issues of concern arising from its visits to immigration detention facilities. 2018 Inspection of Adelaide Immigration Detention Centre Report (2018) - Dept. of Home Affairs response to Adelaide Immigration Detention Centre Inspection of Perth Immigration Detention Centre Report (2018) - Dept. of Home… -
14 December 2012Book page
DIAC response to 2008 Immigration detention report - Summary of Observations following the Inspection of Mainland Immigration Detention Report
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) welcomes the release of the 2008 Immigration Detention Report by the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) and acknowledges the important independent scrutiny of the immigration system provided by the AHRC. -
14 December 2012Book page
Mandatory detention laws in Australia
Mandatory detention laws were enacted in Western Australia and the Northern Territory in 1996 and 1997 respectively. Essentially these laws require courts to impose minimum sentences of detention or imprisonment for people convicted of certain offences. They effectively remove judicial discretion in relation to those offences. -
14 December 2012Book page
Let’s talk about rights - A toolkit to help individuals and groups participate in the Australian Government’s National Human Rights Consultation (2009)
This toolkit, produced by the Australian Human Rights Commission (the Commission) is designed to help individuals and groups in the Australian community who wish to participate in the Australian Government’s National Human Rights Consultation. -
Rights and Freedoms
14 December 2012Speech
Human Rights in Contemporary Australia: Dr Sev Ozdowski OAM (2001)
Despite its rather grand title, this presentation will be a relatively modest attempt to set out the key challenges for human rights in Australia as I see them at the outset of my term as Human Rights Commissioner. Let us begin with a quick survey of the state of human rights internationally and in Australia today. -
Legal
14 December 2012Webpage
HREOC submission to Inquiry into Immigration Detention in Australia
Recommendation 1: The Migration Act should be amended so that detention occurs only when necessary. This should be the exception not the norm. It must be for a minimal period, be reasonable and be a proportionate means of achieving at least one of the aims outlined in international law (ExComm Conclusion 44). These limited grounds for detention should be clearly prescribed in the Migration Act.