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In order for us to realise the Commission’s vision of a society where human rights are for everyone, everywhere, every day, we have made building understanding and respect for human rights one of our two key policy priorities. We are seeking to lift the level of consciousness within the Australian community of the importance of human rights to the maintenance of our free, democratic,…

We all have a right to feel safe and respected. We all have a right to live our lives free from violence. Violence, harassment and bullying can violate these rights. They can also impact on other rights, such as the right to education and the right to health. Violence, harassment and bullying affect well-being and quality of life.

As a part of the government’s commitments under the Australian Human Rights Framework, there have been extensive consultations to discuss how the current anti-discrimination legislation can be consolidated into one piece of legislation.

On 25 June 2012, the Australian Parliament passed legislation to establish Australia’s first National Children’s Commissioner. The Commissioner will be a member of the Australian Human Rights Commission.

The Commission has been working closely with the Attorney-General’s Department on all aspects of the Framework. In particular, we have provided input into the development of a National Human Rights Action Plan, human rights education initiatives, improved human rights protections including greater parliamentary scrutiny, and consolidation of federal discrimination laws.

Over the last year, the Commission has confirmed its strategic focus for the next 3 years. A new Strategic Plan was introduced from 1 July 2011 for the period to 30 June 2014. The 4 strategic goals for the period focus on:

The Commission has a highly committed and experienced workforce. To ensure that staff have support to achieve a work life balance, we provide access to a wide range of flexible work options. These best practice strategies assist staff of all ages, with various disabilities and external responsibilities to work productively and safely.

We have developed Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and standards that form the basis for ongoing assessment of the complaint service. These indicators, and our performance in 2011-12 in relation to these indicators, are summarised below. In comparison with the last reporting year, the Service has seen a level of improvement across all KPIs.

*Full year budget, including any subsequent adjustment made to the 2011-12 Budget. 1. Appropriation Bill (No.1) 2011-12 and Appropriation Bill (No.3) 2011-12. This may also include Prior Year departmental appropriation and S.31 relevant agency receipts. 2. Includes an amount of $0.346m in 2011-12 for the Departmental Capital Budget. For accounting purposes this amount has been designated as &…

1. Section 32 transfer. 2. Departmental Appropriation combines “Ordinary annual services (Appropriation Bill No. 1)” and “Revenue from independent sources (s31)”.

In 2011–12 the Commission received 17 047 enquiries and 2 610 complaints. This is the highest number of complaints received over the past 10 years and 21% higher than the number of complaints received in the previous reporting year.

Appendices Appendix 4: Website statistics Table 41: Website statistics Section Views of section home page Views of all pages in section Commission homepage 616 981 n/a www.humanrights.gov.au Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice 97 733 1 282 416 https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-island… Age Discrimination 51 710 146 738 www.humanrights

Appendices Appendix 5 – Staffing statistics Table 42: AHRC staffing profile (as at 30 June 2012) Classification Male Female Full time Part time Total Ongoing Total Non-ongoing Total Statutory Office Holders 2 4 6 6 6 SES Band 2 1 1 1 1 SES Band 1 1 1 2 2 2 Executive Level 2 ($107,491-$123,899) 8 12 16 4 19 1 20 Executive Level 1 ($89,404-98,042) 3 29 26 6 24 8 32 APS 6 ($71,475-80,109) 9 31…

Appendices Appendix 6 – Submissions 2011-2012 2012 Supplementary information to the Inquiry into Cyber Safety for Senior Australians (10 May 2012) Information concerning Australia and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (04 May 2012) Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Amendment Bill 2012 (12 April 2012) Consideration of Australia’s ratification of the Optional Protocol to the…

Glossary A AAT Administrative Appeals Tribunal ACARA The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority is the independent authority responsible for the development of a national curriculum, a national assessment program and a national data collection and reporting program. ADA Age Discrimination Act 2004 AHRCA Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 ANAO Australian National…

This report makes disturbing reading. It documents numerous breaches by Australia of both the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. As a nation that is understandably anxious that the rights of our own children should be respected when they come into contact with the authorities of other countries, it is troubling that between late…

An age of uncertainty Inquiry into the treatment of individuals suspected of people smuggling offences who say that they are children Glossary of Terms Abbreviation Term AFP Australian Federal Police AGD Attorney-General’s Department ALARA As Low As Reasonably Achievable ARPANSA Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency CDPP Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions CRC

Between late 2008 and late 2011, 180 young Indonesians who said that they were children arrived in Australia having worked as crew on boats bringing asylum seekers to Australia.

Between 1 September 2008 and 22 November 2011, 180 young Indonesians who said that they were children arrived in Australia, having worked as crew on boats bringing asylum seekers to Australia. These young people were often fishermen from impoverished communities in the south and east of Indonesia. Many of them have spent long periods of time in immigration detention without being charged, or…

Since 2001, the primary method of assessing whether an individual is under the age of 18 years in the context of criminal proceedings in Australia has been through the analysis of an x-ray of the young person’s wrist. As this Inquiry is considering the treatment of young Indonesian males suspected of people smuggling who say that they are children, it is important to consider the…