Search results

Mick GoodaAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice CommissionerAustralian Human Rights Commission Australian Human Rights CommissionSydneyFriday 30 November 2012 It is with respect and gratitude that I acknowledge that we sit on the lands of the Gadigal peoples of the Eora Nation. Thank you to Michael for your generous welcome to country for us all here in attendance today.I also…

I would like to acknowledge the Kaurna People, the traditional owners of the land on which we stand and pay my respects to their elders, both past and present.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak with all of you, and sleep with some of you. As you will have noticed, Vinnies was good enough to let my eleven-year-old daughter Rachel join me as my guide tonight, and she'll be the only one getting any of my cuddles. The rest of you have to make your own arrangements.

When I was invited to give this address, my first thought was to talk about unlawful discrimination in the context of higher education and, in particular, disability discrimination.

I'll start with what's stayed the same. The fundamental restructuring of Australia's workplace relations system has left the functions of HREOC untouched. In particular there is no change in its responsibilities to investigate and conciliate complaints of unlawful discrimination.

I also acknowledge Keith Wilson, President of the Mental Health Council of Australia; Chief Executive Officer Dr Grace Groom; and others here who have profound knowledge of mental health issues as family members and carers, as professionals, and as people directly affected by mental illness.

Amongst all this expertise, it is fair to ask why is the President of the national human rights commission – and particularly a President who has only fairly recently commenced in this role - here presenting the keynote speech to such a conference?

It is a pleasure to be able to address you today and I would first like to acknowledge the Gadigal people, the traditional custodians of the land on which we stand.

The title I have taken for these remarks is "Is there a slow lane on the information superhighway". I fear that by now there may already be something dated or quaint in using the term "information superhighway". I am going to use it anyway, and perhaps make matters of style worse by adding reference to a slow lane, because I think a few important issues are suggested by this…

It’s fantastic to be amongst so many people committed to the wellbeing of Australia’s children. I’m thrilled to have been invited today by Prue Warrilow, Brian Babington and Families Australia and feel honoured to deliver the Berry Street Childhood Institute Families Australia Oration as my first speaking engagement as inaugural National Children’s Commissioner.

Where: Australian College of Educators (the Boardroom) James Darling House 42 Geils Court Deakin, Canberra When: Saturday May 17 Time: 11.00am for 11.30am (see appendix 1)

Explore a speech by Professor Gillian Triggs, President of the Australian Human Rights Commission, in relation to the state of human rights in Australia.

The Isabelle Lake Memorial Lecture is an initiative of the Equal Opportunity Commission of Western Australia in partnership with the University of Western Australia to honour the work and achievements of Ms Isabelle Lake. Ms Lake was a young trans rights activist, who was also a former employee of the Equal Opportunity Commission and University of Western Australia student.

We all share a responsibility to lead cultural change for inclusion of people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex. Building on the previous work of the Commission, I’ll be using my term as Human Rights Commissioner to ensure these issues are given national attention. It was an honour to be a keynote speaker at the Human Rights Forum of the Asia Pacific Outgames in Darwin.