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The Australia of 2009 is a proud multicultural nation. It is a nation, culturally, socially and economically formed by the unique combination of its First Nation peoples, its early settlers, and by the many waves of subsequent migration. As such, negotiating diversity and respecting people of all faiths, races, cultures and identities has evolved into an important characteristic of being a member…

The project was officially supported by the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Council of Australia, the Equal Opportunity Commission Victoria, the Ethnic Communities’ Council of Victoria, the Islamic Council of Victoria, the Islamic Girls’ and Women's Group, the Centre for Multicultural Youth Issues, the Victorian Immigrant and Refugee Women’s Coalition and Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE. The…

The following international instruments[1] have been placed in tables according to topic area. Note, however, that many of the instruments are relevant to several topic areas. Clauses marked * are relevant to Indigenous knowledge’s.

These issues highlight some concerns I have with the operation of the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) (Native Title Act), how it is interpreted by the common law and how the native title system is operating. They seriously impact on the exercise and enjoyment of human rights of Indigenous peoples.

Thank you for joining me here this afternoon to launch the Social Justice Report 2004 and the Native Title Report 2004. Both reports were tabled in Parliament out of session last Friday.

The Social Justice Report 2005 covers the period from 1 July 2004 to 30 June 2005. The Report considers progress in achieving improvements in the health status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and sets out a human rights framework for achieving health equality within a generation.

In the past 12 months the High Court has handed down several significant decisions which clarified the principles upon which the recognition and extinguishment of native title are determined. These principles are set out and discussed in the first three chapters of this report. In clarifying these principles, some of the Judges of the High Court have been mindful of their effect on Indigenous…

This is my sixth, and final, Social Justice Report as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner. It covers the period from 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009.

On 21 June 2007, the Australian Government announced a ‘national emergency response to protect Aboriginal children in the Northern Territory’ from sexual abuse and family violence.[1] This has become known as the ‘NT intervention’ or the ‘Emergency Response’. The catalyst for the measures was the release of Report of the Northern Territory Board of Inquiry into…

The Senate Legal and Constitutional References Committee conducted an inquiry this year into the federal government's implementation of recommendations made by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission in Bringing them home. The inquiry considered proposals for the establishment of an alternative dispute resolution tribunal for members of the stolen generations; and considered the…

The Commission’s vision is of and for an Australian society in which the human rights of all people are respected and promoted. Our task is to find practical, pragmatic ways to turn the rhetoric of human rights into an everyday reality for all Australians and build a more tolerant and inclusive community. As this report indicates, this past year has been a period of substantial achievement…