Search results

Our challenge for the future is to embrace a new partnership between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. The core of this partnership for the future is closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians on life expectancy, educational achievement and employment opportunities.

Many country towns are witnessing cutbacks and are finding it difficult to attract health professionals. This is troubling considering that the health of rural and remote Australians continues to be significantly worse than their urban counterparts

The University of Western Sydney, Bankstown Campus is located approximately twenty minutes from Villawood Detention Centre. Within the School of Education and Early Childhood Studies there is a strong commitment to social justice and to the celebration of diversity. The undergraduate early childhood program developed by academics at the university promotes awareness of the rights of children and…

We must face up to our humanitarian responsibilities to accept refugee children and their families. We must take them out of the immigration detention centres and welcome them into the community where they can play, learn and grow. At least then when our children look back on this time and ask us what we did to stand up for refugee kids, we can say we gave them their childhood." (Calvert,…

The Inquiry held 61 public sessions (105 witnesses) and 24 confidential sessions (50 witnesses) between May 2002 and August 2002. Nine of the witnesses in confidential hearings (7 sessions) later agreed to make their evidence public.

You can view a list of abbreviations and acronyms that are used by the Commission. The list makes it easier to understand our website and publications.

APPENDIX F A: Relevant provisions of the convention on the rights of the child 45B: Relevant provisions of the international covenant on civil and political rights C: Relevant provisions of the international covenant on economic, social and cultural rights D: Relevant provisions of the 1951 convention relating to the status of refugees

Australia ratified its commitment to the Convention of the Rights of the Child in 1989. Australia has also committed itself to other human rights standards such as the Refugee Convention. In order to fulfil these obligations and on pure humanitarian grounds, it is imperative that children in detention are afforded these rights.

The National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention refers to the adequacy and appropriateness of Australia’s treatment of child asylum seekers and other children who are, or have been, held in immigration detention, including:

The current mandatory detention policy of the Commonwealth of Australia breaches the fundamental principle of the rights of the child which is that children should be able to develop to their full potential. The policy breaches every article of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The policy violates the right to health as established by international law.

The Australian Early Childhood Association (AECA) is a national non-government, non-profit advocacy organisation that speaks out on behalf of all young children from birth to eight years. It stands as the voice for children and aims to ensure that the best interests of children are always at the forefront of decision making. Members include childcare services, schools, peak early childhood…