Refine results
-
13 April 2015Book page
Who we are
The Australian Human Rights Commission is independent from government and established by legislation. We strive to resolve complaints, encourage positive law reform and build a shared awareness and recognition of freedoms and rights throughout Australia. We operate under the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth) as well as federal laws that seek to ensure freedom from… -
Complaint Information Service14 December 2012Webpage
Information for people making complaints
The Australian Human Rights Commission (the Commission) has three areas of complaints we can investigate and resolve. They are: Claims of unlawful discrimination This includes complaints of discrimination, harassment and bullying based on a person’s: sex, including pregnancy, marital or relationship status (including same-sex de facto couples), breastfeeding, family responsibilities, sexual … -
Commission – General
14 December 2012SpeechLaunch of the Social Justice and Native Title Reports 2008
President speech: Launch of the Social Justice and Native Title Reports 2008 11.00am-1.00pm, 4 May 2009 Turner Hall, Ultimo, Sydney, NSW Audio of Speech in mp3 format [6.88MB] Introduction The Hon Cathy Branson QC, President, Australian Human Rights Commission I would like to acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora nation, the Traditional Owners of the land where we gather today. I pay my… -
14 December 2012Book page
About the Commission - Annual Report 2011-2012: Australian Human Rights Commission
We have statutory responsibilities under these laws, including to investigate and conciliate complaints of alleged discrimination and breaches of human rights recognised under international conventions to which Australia is a party and to promote and protect these human rights generally. -
14 December 2012Book page
It's About Time - Submissions
back to contents It's About Time Submissions Dan Ahern Maurice Mok Kay Pearson Phil Jones Confidential J S Kempster Carol Cunningham Jenny Smith Tanya Fane Ruth Wells Confidential Beverly Puls Julie Blyth Sydney for Kids Johnny Ruigo Julia Graham Buckby Confidential Lone Fathers Association Australia Emma Hawkes Christopher Newell Peter Steindl Far North Fathers The Memucan Institute… -
Commission – General
14 December 2012Speech
Presentation at the Governor’s Leadership Foundation Forum
HREOC is a statutory body independent of government. While our main function is to promote an understanding and acceptance of human rights in Australia, we are also charged with the responsibilities of investigating, and attempting to conciliate complaints of unlawful discrimination under the federal Racial Discrimination Act 1975, the Sex Discrimination Act 1984, the Disability Discrimination… -
Race Discrimination
14 December 2012SpeechSite navigation
Centuries ago a great many of the inhabitants of this beautiful island were wiped out by colonization and its aftermath. The disappearance of so many is a solemn reminder of the injustice done to the first peoples of this land. Their violent absence is a presence that calls for us to reflect on injustices, suffering and reconciliation in the broadest sense. To them I pay my respects. -
Disability Rights
2 July 2014SpeechNational Press Club address
(check against delivery) I acknowledge the traditional owners of this land. I do so not as a formulaic beginning, but as a sincere recognition of the place which the land holds in the lives and culture of our first Australians. I saw much of the disadvantage Aboriginal people experience during my time as Race Discrimination Commissioner, and fail to understand why - at a time when we are… -
Race Discrimination
16 March 2021Publication
Developing a National Anti-Racism Framework (2021)
Australia’s Race Discrimination Commissioner, Chin Tan has announced plans to develop a National Anti-Racism Framework and is calling on the Federal Government to support the framework, fully resource it and implement it. The Commission also aims to work in partnership with all sectors of Australian society because dismantling racism is a joint responsibility and will require a coordinated… -
Commission – General
3 November 2016Publication
Annual Report 2015-2016
Also available: Complaint Statistics 2015-2016 | President’s statement This Annual Report sets out the performance of the Australian Human Rights Commission in the 2015–16 financial year. This year has been both a challenging and rewarding one for the Commission. We have achieved the highest conciliation rates of complaints under the four discrimination laws since our inception 30 years ago … -
Rights and Freedoms
14 December 2012SpeechACFID Awards Night Presentation: Dr Sev Ozdowski OAM (2005)
I would like to commence my brief remarks tonight by acknowledging the success of the member organizations of ACFID. Clearly any organization whose constituent members in 2004 raised $487.4 million, or around 70%, annually of their funds, from the public with only about 14% coming from the government via AusAID is a very effective one indeed. This statistic is also vitally important when one… -
Complaint Information Service14 December 2012Webpage
Complaints about discrimination in employment
Learn about discrimination in the workplace, what your rights are, and what happens after you make a complaint to the Commission. -
Disability Rights
13 February 2014Opinion piece
Human rights: everyone, everywhere, everyday
Maria has cerebral palsy and little speech. She wanted to tell police about a sexual assault, but there was no communication support worker to help with the statement. The police relied on Maria's parents to provide communication support. Maria was uncomfortable giving personal details of the assault to police in front of her parents, so her evidence was incomplete. This caused problems for… -
Age Discrimination
2 May 2023Media ReleaseAgeism keeping older people out of the workforce
Ageism is blocking older people from the workforce, findings from a survey of HR professionals about attitudes to older workers show. A partnership between the Australian HR Institute and the Australian Human Rights Commission, the 2023 Employing and Retaining Older Workers Survey found one in six organisations will not consider hiring people aged 65 and above while only a quarter are open… -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
14 December 2012SpeechEssentials for Social Justice: Reform
Between December 2007 and April 2008 the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Tom Calma, will deliver a series of key speeches setting out an agenda for change in Indigenous affairs. -
Business and Human Rights
31 October 2017Opinion pieceSlavery is a bigger problem now than when it was ‘abolished’ - and it's happening here
A diverse group of leaders from the Australian business community, civil society, the religious community and academia has released a Statement of Support for the development of legislation to combat Modern Slavery. -
Disability Rights
14 December 2012Speech
DEAFNESS FORUM OF AUSTRALIA 2005 CAPTIONING AWARDS
Allow me to begin by also acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, and pay my respects to their elders both past and present. -
Rights and Freedoms
14 December 2012Speech
"Human Rights in Contemporary Australia": Dr Sev Ozdowski (2001)
Speech by Dr Sev Ozdowski at the United Nations Association of Australia - Tasmanian Branch - Human Rights Seminar: Human Rights from the Perspective of Individual, Collective and Corporate Responsibilities, Saturday 17 November 2001 -
Disability Rights
14 December 2012Speech
Presentation toRound Table on Information Access For People with Print Disabilities
I've always had a yearning to be in the Guinness Book of Records, and so I decided, in preparation for today, to give the shortest presentation ever made by a staff member of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. My presentation thus consists of just seven letters: a question of 4 letters, and an answer of 3 letters. The question is SSDD, and the answer is DDA. -
Disability Rights
14 December 2012Speech
Human rights for people with intellectual disabilities in Australia: where to from here?
I will not speak in detail about human rights conventions and disability because this topic is addressed by my co-speaker in this session, Karl Lachwitz. I will say though that international human rights law and human rights debate has not yet acknowledged adequately or sufficiently clearly that people with a disability are part of what the "human" in human rights means. Equally, there…