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14 December 2012Book page
Annual Report 2008-2009: Chapter 2
One of the Commission’s central functions is to undertake education programs that increase public awareness and generate discussion of human rights and anti-discrimination issues within Australia. -
Rights and Freedoms14 December 2012Opinion piece
Opinion Pieces - Immigration detention laws need reviewing (2008)
This is an often depressing tour that we at the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) undertake every year to monitor the conditions of immigration detention in Australia for compliance with internationally recognised human rights obligations. We tour and inspect the facilities, interview the staff and meet with the detainees themselves. -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice14 December 2012Webpage
Moving Forward - Achieving Reparations for the Stolen Generations
Welcome to Conference. Thank you for warm welcome, Marjie Cook, and for the opportunity to gather on your land over the next two days to consider the critical issues of identity and justice for the Stolen Generations. -
Rights and Freedoms14 December 2012Opinion piece
No need to abandon human rights to be tough on terror (2006)
In the post-September 11 world, debate about counter-terrorism is often characterised as an argument between 'the realists', who appreciate the need for tough new counter-terrorism laws, and 'the out of touch', who fail to take the terrorist threat seriously. -
14 December 2012Book page
Native Title Report 2008 - Chapter 3
The strong, vibrant and committed Noongar peoples of the South West corner of Australia had their native title determination over Perth returned to square one. The Full Federal Court found that the first judge had made a number of errors in his decision and have sent the case back for consideration by a new judge, leaving the Noongar peoples uncertain about the future of their rights over the… -
Race Discrimination14 December 2012Speech
Speech:Like oil and water? The intersection of freedom of religion and belief with human rights (2008)
Can I begin by thanking and acknowledging the Ngunnawal Peoples, the traditional owners of the land on which we are meeting and thank Aunty Agnes for her warm welcome. -
Commission – General14 December 2012Speech
Human rights education in a time of terrorism (2003)
In the newspapers of recent weeks we seem constantly confronted with similarly miserable and distressing events – a mortar attack on CARE Australia’s office in Baghdad; attacks on a synagogue and the British consulate in Istanbul; more suicide bombings in Israel. -
Commission – General14 December 2012Speech
Human Rights - Refugees and Terrorists - What Rights?
It is a great pleasure to be speaking today with Judge Clifford Wallace. I had the pleasure of meeting him on several occasions at Judges' conferences in the Pacific. I was very sorry to miss him when he was in Adelaide in 2003. -
Commission – General14 December 2012Opinion piece
Take judges out of human rights process (2009)
Predictably, opponents of a human rights act reacted swiftly to Mr McHugh's comments, misrepresenting concerns about specific aspects of one model of a human rights act as a reason to reject any such act. -
Rights and Freedoms14 December 2012Opinion piece
Stand on your rights, or see them trampled (2009)
Australia is a great country to live in — for most of us most of the time. We don’t suffer the terrible poverty witnessed in some parts of the world, our judicial system works well by international standards and most of us can vote in elections by secret ballot. Most of us can live pretty safely, say what we like most of the time and, if we are so inclined, practise our faith in peace. Most of us… -
Rights and Freedoms4 September 2015Speech
Austin Asche Oration in Law and Governance
Austin Asche Oration in Law and Governance Thursday 3 September 2015 I am honoured to have been invited to speak tonight at this, the 5 th Austin Asche Oration in Law and Governance. As I had not met or known the Hon. Austin Asche. As any researcher would do, I ‘googled’ him to learn about his distinguished legal career. He was appointed Chief Justice of the Northern Territory in 1987 and… -
Commission – General14 December 2012Webpage
Violence, Harassment and Bullying and Homelessness
Violence, harassment and bullying can be both a cause and consequence of homelessness. This means that a person may become homeless as a result of family violence and/or be exposed to violence, harassment and bullying because they are homeless. Violence, harassment and bullying are unacceptable in any context and violate a range of human rights. -
Rights and Freedoms14 July 2015Speech
What are the proper limits on the power of Parliament?
Distinguished guests, friends and colleagues - thank you for your welcome to this Law Institute of Victoria seminar. I acknowledge the traditional owners of the land and pay my respects to their elders past and present. I will always have a soft spot for the Law Institute of Victoria. I was admitted to practice in 1969 after completing my articles with Williams Winter and Higgs, and… -
Rights and Freedoms14 July 2015Speech
What are the proper limits on the power of Parliament?
Distinguished guests, friends and colleagues - thank you for your welcome to this Law Institute of Victoria seminar. I acknowledge the traditional owners of the land and pay my respects to their elders past and present. I will always have a soft spot for the Law Institute of Victoria. I was admitted to practice in 1969 after completing my articles with Williams Winter and Higgs, and… -
Legal14 December 2012Webpage
Discussion Paper "Australia's Children: Safe and Well - A National Framework for Protecting Australia's Children"
“If the measures were targeted solely to parents or families in need of assistance to prevent neglect or abuse of children, as they are in s123UC of the legislation, then some form of income management may be capable of being seen as an appropriate exercise of the governments ‘margin of discretion’ to ensure that families benefit from welfare and receive the minimum essentials… -
Rights and Freedoms15 June 2015Speech
The Legacy of the Magna Carta – 800 Years On
While seemingly idiosyncratic the signing of Magna Carta, or Great Charter, of 1215 was an immensely important political event. -
Disability Rights13 January 2016Opinion piece
Time to regulate housing accessibility
With the scale, complexity and massive costs of recent reforms in disability services and aged care, we need constant monitoring and patience as the changes are put into place. According to what I hear and see this is all happening pretty well, in general. There is however a big shortcoming, a gap that could undermine the potential success of both the NDIS and the Aged Care programs. Both of… -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees8 January 2014Publication
A last resort? National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention
This is an important report. It deals with our treatment of children in the most recent wave of boat people seeking refuge and a better life on our shores. It does so in the knowledge that there is a tension created by the community expectation that the Government will defend Australia's security while simultaneously upholding individual rights - the notion of the 'fairgo' for all. The report… -
Disability Rights14 December 2012Speech
10th Anniversary of the Disability Discrimination Act
I'm sure that I'm not the only person with a disability who has experienced the lonely path of advocacy. As we find it necessary to advocate for our right to be able to read the same information as the rest of society, or to enter a building through the same door, or take a guide dog to the same restaurant, we can also find ourselves agreeing with the next line of the song, "two can be as… -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees14 December 2012Opinion piece
Security rethink can protect refugee rights (2012)
The following opinion pieces have been published by the President and Commissioners. Reproduction of the opinion pieces must include reference to where the opinion piece was originally published.