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Sex Discrimination
4 May 2018Opinion pieceTime for some home truths about sexual harassment
The following opinion piece by the Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins was published in the Age newspaper on May 3, 2018 It’s time for some home truths about how we are talking about and dealing with sexual harassment cases. We need to stop talking about so-called ‘‘hush money’’ and refocus our attention on the basic values of fairness and justice. In 2016, AFL chief executive… -
Sex Discrimination
28 November 2022Publication
Time for respect: Fifth national survey on sexual harassment in Australian workplaces
For the first time, the survey also asked about workers’ views on the actions taken by their employer’s action to address workplace sexual harassment. -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
4 December 2024Media ReleaseQueensland Bills a major step backwards for the rights of First Nations people
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Ms Katie Kiss has warned that legislation introduced by the Queensland Government late last week was “a devastating step backwards for First Nations rights and a blow to respectful relationships between the state government and Indigenous Queenslanders.” The Queensland Parliament repealed the Path to Treaty Act 2023 at… -
Commission – General
14 December 2012SpeechHuman 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. -
3 October 2014Opinion piece
Time to strengthen our lax surrogacy laws
Nationwide regulations are urgently needed to cover situations when Australians are engaging surrogates to have children for them. The range of assisted reproductive technologies available today presents many legal, moral and ethical challenges. These are challenges we can no longer ignore and require national, state and international leadership. In Australia, altruistic surrogacy is… -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
12 February 2018Media Release
Time to rebuild the structure of Closing the Gap
Australia is a long way short of closing the gap by 2030 and needs to rebuild the foundations of the strategy as a matter of urgency. The Close the Gap Campaign welcomes the news that there has been an improvement in several closing the gap targets, however, only meeting 3 out of 7 targets for such a critical national priority is no cause for celebration. Close the Gap Campaign Co-Chair and … -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
17 January 2019Media Release
Wiyi Yani U Thangani - this is your time to have your say
The Social Justice Commissioner June Oscar AO is calling for submissions from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and girls and key organisations for the Wiyi Yani U Thangani (Women’s Voices) project. As part of the project, Commissioner Oscar and her team have so far visited more than 40 communities and have heard from more than 1800 women and girls across the country in urban,… -
Disability Rights
14 December 2012Opinion pieceLights, camera, action for the first time in my life (2011)
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. -
Race Discrimination
26 November 2024Media ReleaseLandmark national plan seeks to end racism in Australia
Image design copyright Bree Buttenshaw for Saltwater People (2024). Australia’s Race Discrimination Commissioner today launched the most comprehensive plan ever for eliminating racism in Australia. Developed by the Australian Human Rights Commission with dedicated funding from the Australian Government, the National Anti-Racism Framework provides a roadmap for governments, business and… -
Children's Rights
10 October 2014Opinion pieceIt's time to strengthen our surrogacy laws to help protect children
NATIONWIDE regulations are urgently needed to cover situations when Australians are engaging surrogates to have children for them. The range of assisted reproductive technologies available today presents many legal, moral and ethical challenges. These are challenges we can no longer ignore and require national, state and international leadership. In Australia, altruistic surrogacy is… -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
27 November 2024News storyExplainer: Commission does not support the Migration Amendment Bill
The Australian Government has introduced new migration laws into Parliament to expand search and seizure powers in immigration detention centres. The Commission does not support the Migration Amendment (Prohibiting Items in Immigration Detention Facilities) Bill 2024 -
Rights and Freedoms
14 December 2012Speech“Child Migrants and Human Rights in our Time”: Dr Sev Ozdowski OAM (2005)
I should add, at this point, that my work over the past few years and my inquiry on children in immigration detention (CIDI), in Australia, the report of which "A last resort?" was tabled in the Australian Federal parliament in May of 2004, has made me even more keenly aware of the fragility of child asylum seekers. But more on that later! -
Children's Rights
26 November 2024Opinion piece
Australian parents and kids deserve better
In a joint op-ed, National Children's Commissioner Anne Hollonds and Human Rights Commissioner Lorraine Finlay contend that the proposed ban on social media access for Australians under 16 merely addresses surface issues without improving overall safety on these platforms. -
13 November 2024Conciliation register
2024-04-02
The complainant finds it difficult to stand for extended periods of time without short periods of rest due to a number of medical conditions. On commencing employment with the respondent clothing retailer, she requested some adjustments to accommodate her disability, including a kneeling stool and/or cushioned mat. She alleged the retailer denied her request, cancelled her induction training… -
6 November 2024Conciliation register
2023-12-03
The complainant is an Aboriginal man. He was employed by the respondent health service as a Fire Safety and Security Officer. The complainant claimed the health service discriminated against him because of his race including by not automatically converting his part-time role to a full-time role when this became available until he raised the issue with his union, and ignoring his submissions… -
Race Discrimination
19 December 2024Publication
Interim Report on Racism at Australian Universities
In December 2024, the Australian Human Rights Commission delivered an interim report for its Respect at Uni project to update the Australian Government on the project’s progress, highlighting pervasive racism experienced by both students and staff at Australian universities. -
12 December 2024Conciliation register
2024-07-01
The complainant has a vision impairment and tried to obtain a quote for car insurance from the respondent insurer’s website, but found the website inaccessible. He claimed that when he contacted the insurer, he was informed it did not offer products for people with a vision impairment. The insurer advised that in response to the complainant’s original complaint to the insurer, it had made… -
12 December 2024Conciliation register
2024-07-02
The complainant is blind and has a guide dog. He claimed he was unable to safely cross a street near his home because although there was a pedestrian safety zone, there was no way for him to detect the location of the zone. He said he had asked his local council on several occasions to address the issue with no result. The local council advised it was aware of the complainant's concerns but… -
12 December 2024Conciliation register
2024-06-03
The complainant was employed as a senior lecturer at the respondent university. She alleged her manager sexually harassed her, including by staring at her body, touching her neck and hands, and asking personal questions. She also alleged her manager bullied her, undermined her and was hostile to her in meetings because of her sex. She claimed the university failed to respond appropriately to… -
12 December 2024Conciliation register
2024-07-03
The complainant’s son is on the Autism spectrum, has Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder, Generalised Anxiety Disorder and a pathological demand avoidance profile. She claimed the respondent public school failed to appropriately accommodate her son’s disability, resulting in school refusal. On being informed of the complaint, the school denied discriminating against the complainant…