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Rights and Freedoms18 March 2022Opinion piece
What is happening in Ukraine should matter to every Australian
OPINION There is almost 13,000km between Australia and Ukraine. It is literally on the other side of the world. Given the vast distances that separate us, it would be easy to claim that what happens there has nothing to do with us. That Australia should focus instead on the many challenges we face at home and leave the rest of the world to deal with their own problems. That would be a grave … -
Rights and Freedoms4 February 2022Submission
Monitoring of Places of Detention (Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture) Amendment Bill 2022 (Bill)
The Australian Human Rights Commission welcomes the opportunity to make this submission to the Northern Territory Department of the Attorney-General and Justice with respect to its consultation on the draft Monitoring of Places of Detention (Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture) Amendment Bill 2022 (Bill). -
Rights and Freedoms21 January 2022Opinion piece
Novak Djokovic drew global attention to Australia's immigration detention regime. Now we need proper scrutiny of all places of detention
Novak Djokovic’s recent detention at Melbourne’s Park Hotel drew international attention to Australia’s use of hotels as Alternative Places of Detention by immigration authorities. But while Djokovic’s detention was measured in days, others still remaining in the Park Hotel measure their detention in years. Hotels are simply not appropriate places to detain people for extended periods. The… -
Rights and Freedoms10 December 2021Publication
Free and Equal: A reform agenda for federal discrimination laws (2021)
This Position Paper sets out the Australian Human Rights Commission’s proposals for reforming federal discrimination law in Australia. It forms part of the Commission’s Free and Equal project: A National conversation on human rights. -
Rights and Freedoms18 November 2021Opinion piece
Loss of freedoms and rights has harmed us
OPINION November 18, 2021 Ronald Reagan famously said that “freedom is a fragile thing and it’s never more than one generation away from extinction”. For many Australians, until recently, freedom has been something we have largely been able to take for granted in our daily lives. But with millions of Australians only recently emerging from lengthy lockdowns, and every single one of us still… -
Rights and Freedoms15 June 2021Publication
Ms PQ and Ms PR v Commonwealth of Australia (Department of Home Affairs) (2021)
Report into a failure to treat persons deprived of their liberty with humanity and respect for their dignity -
Rights and Freedoms27 May 2021Video
Accountable AI decision making: Human Rights and Technology 2021
Artificial Intelligence offers great opportunities – but it also has the potential to do great harm. The Australian Human Rights Commission’s new Human Rights and Technology report recommends safeguards to protect the community, as Human Rights Commissioner Ed Santow explains. Read more: https://tech.humanrights.gov.au -
Rights and Freedoms27 May 2021Video
Accessible technology: Human Rights and Technology 2021
New technology can make our community more inclusive – but we need smart design that works for everyone. The Australian Human Rights Commission's new report on Human Rights and Technology recommends new standards to ensure accessible technology for all, as Human Rights Commissioner Edward Santow explains. Read more: https://tech.humanrights.gov.au -
Rights and Freedoms1 May 2021Media Release
Travel ban and sanctions on Australians travelling from India
The travel ban on Australian citizens returning from India, accompanied by criminal sanctions under the Biosecurity Act, raises serious human rights concerns. The Commission supports the continuation of aid to the Indian Government as it copes with the current COVID-19 crisis, but the Commission holds deep concerns about these extraordinary new restrictions on Australians returning to… -
Rights and Freedoms22 April 2021Media Release
Greater scrutiny of emergency powers needed
The Australian Human Rights Commission has called for greater accountability to be embedded in laws that extend the Commonwealth’s power in the event of national emergencies. In its submission to a Senate inquiry examining the National Emergency Declaration Act 2020, the Commission recommended five changes to legislation that was enacted by parliament in 2020. Human Rights Commissioner…