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Both men acquired their disabilities 20 years ago. Neither of them work, nor do they have daily activities, or relationships with people outside their family.

Thanks for the chance to speak with you today, and to have the opportunity for discussion. Who was Rosa Parks? She was the African-American who, in the 1960s - yes back in the last century - refused to sit at the back of the bus. She was one of the catalysts for the American civil rights movement.

Keynote Address Blind Citizens Australia, NSW/ACT State Convention on 'Leadership Through Participation' Graeme Innes AM Disability Discrimination Commissioner Australian Human Rights Commission Saturday 20 October, 2012 This speech is available as an audio file (MP3). Click here to listen to the speech. (27 min 54 seconds) ...

Alan used to work as a civil engineer, and is a trombone player with two orchestras and two bands. He has competed in the Australian Band Championships for the last three years. He sold his soils laboratory to 'retire', and has never looked back. He still works part-time in soil testing, but as well as trombone playing he is a volunteer in a Rotary shop, walks 30-40 kilometers weekly, won a silver medal in the 10 km Road Race in the Australian Masters Games 2012, and completed a novel for pre-teens called 'Alex', designed to raise awareness about healthy lifestyles.

I'm a proud Australian. We live in a great democracy, with one of the strongest economies in the world. I'm not proud, though, of how we treat Australians with disability- some of our most disadvantaged citizens. And we are all ashamed that, in such a strong nation, that treatment continues. This shame can no longer continue. So let's fix the system. Let's have an NDIS so that not some, but every Australian counts. Thanks for the chance to speak with you today.

Australia became a party to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2008. The rest of the world refers to it by the unappealing acronym of CRPD, or the Disability Convention, but I like to refer to it as the Disco. It's catchy, and it creates a great image for me of people with disability dancing, and being to go anywhere they want - although I haven't been inside a disco for many a long year.

Ten years ago I gave the occasional address at a graduation at Sydney University. I accepted the invitation to speak in the Great Hall and then informed the University that - as the platform on which students received their degrees was not accessible for people with mobility disability - I would speak from the floor of the hall. I did that, and told the story of Bradley Kinsella. He had studied at QUT for three years about a further decade ago, and used his wheelchair all of that time. Despite their knowledge of his disability, QUT scheduled his degree in an inaccessible venue.

Most of you would confidently tell me that Australians are not held in prison for five or ten years when they have not been found guilty of any crime. We don't do that here you would say. And, as upholders of Australia's Federal law most people would accept your view. Sadly, you would be wrong.

At this Summit in 2010, I talked about the crucial roles of a National Disability Insurance Scheme. They were in moving to a society that respects, protects, promotes and fulfils human rights for people with disability.  I used the title Money Changes Everything - But What's Insurance Got to Do with It?

Whether you're recovering from the celebrations of your 19th birthday and experience a severe asthma attack; enjoying the highs and lows of a three-month-old baby and have a stroke; enjoying life when an assault causes a brain injury; or playing doubles with Sam Stosur when you have a skate-boarding accident; acquiring a disability can be a very tough experience. 

Amnesty International conference: Human rights challenges and opportunities in the 21st  century Brisbane 6 October 2011 Graeme Innes, Disability Discrimination Commissioner

Putting out the welcome mat in our new accessible buildings: Where to from here in access developments

RITA KUSEVSKIS-HAYES: Good morning, everybody. If I can ask everyone to take their seats.  Good morning, everybody. My name is Rita Kusevskis-Hayes, and I would like to welcome you on behalf of the 2011 Careers Forum Organising Committee to the University of New South Wales. 

The Australian Human Rights Commission Act tells us that the Commission's functions should be performed "efficiently and with the greatest possible benefit to the people of Australia". That is also a good summary of the goals of the Department of Finance, in public expenditure, public administration and policy and regulation.

It's true of almost everything in life - clothes, relationships, jobs, etc … one size does not fit all.

I also particularly acknowledge all of my sisters and brothers with disability, and those of you who have been fellow-travellers in the cause of advocating the rights of people with disability in the past, present and future. That should pretty much cover off everyone in the room.

On behalf of the Australian Human Rights Commission I would like to welcome you to this event to mark the commencement of the Disability (Access to Premises - buildings) Standards (Premises Standards).

Summary: Australia’s National Disability Strategy provides a framework for implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons and for means for enhancing reporting under the Convention. Further development and implementation of the NDS should be informed by the Committee’s reporting guidelines and by the dialogue between the Australian Government and the Committee in considering Australia’s reports. Some enhancements to the reporting guidelines may also be helpful.