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Disability Rights14 December 2012Speech
How Local Communities can Address Issues of Disability
In my presentation today I want to focus on the Commission's work with Local Government and the effect the Disability Discrimination Act has had on how they go about their business. -
Disability Rights14 December 2012Speech
Local Government - gatekeepers to a more accessible community
I also acknowledge Ms Jenny Merkus, President of the Local Government Community Services Association of Australia (LGCSAA). I would like to congratulate Jenny and other members of the conference planning committee who have put together a varied and exciting program of speakers. I also acknowledge Mayors, councillors and distinguished guests and speakers who have travelled from around Australia to be here. -
14 December 2012Book page
Building Regulation and access - an Australian view
Since the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) came into force in March 1993 complaints to the Australian Human Rights Commission (the Commission) have shown significant inconsistencies between anti-discrimination law and current building law in Australia . -
Disability Rights14 December 2012Speech
Notes for presentation to Productivity Commission DDA review
Thank you for the opportunity to be here today. Can I begin by apologising for the Acting Disability Discrimination Commissioner Dr Sev Ozdowski. Sev has been following this inquiry very closely but had arranged to be away this week before the schedule for these hearings was settled. -
Disability Rights14 December 2012Speech
Is the placement of young people with high support needs in nursing homes a breach of their human rights?
Allow me to commence by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet today, and by so doing remind ourselves that Australia's cultural traditions stretch back many thousands of years. I acknowledge also people with disabilities here together with advocates and other conference participants. -
Disability Rights14 December 2012Speech
PROMOTING THE RIGHTS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES: TOWARDS A NEW UN CONVENTION
Dr Sev Ozdowski OAM Human Rights Commissioner and Disability Discrimination Commissioner Human Rights & Equal Opportunity Commission, Sydney, Australia -
Disability Rights14 December 2012Speech
Telstra / Diversity at work forum
I am sure I am not the first person to say it, but it seems to me that there are particularly important reasons for a telecommunications company such as Telstra to be interested in diversity. -
Disability Rights14 December 2012Speech
Presentation toRound Table on Information Access For People with Print Disabilities
I've always had a yearning to be in the Guinness Book of Records, and so I decided, in preparation for today, to give the shortest presentation ever made by a staff member of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. My presentation thus consists of just seven letters: a question of 4 letters, and an answer of 3 letters. The question is SSDD, and the answer is DDA. -
Disability Rights14 December 2012Speech
Deafness Forum Hearing Access Seminar
I always like to begin my presentations with a humorous anecdote or joke of some kind. For one thing, it lets me know that someone is actually listening, and it also lulls the audience into a false sense of security for the dry parts to follow. So as part of my preparation for this morning's discussion of disability discrimination law in Australia, I decided to find an answer to the important question, "how many audiologists does it take to change a lightbulb". Fortunately there is a website devoted to lightbulb jokes, and so I duly consulted it. -
Disability Rights14 December 2012Speech
Presentation to Web Content and Performance Management Conference
Good morning everyone. I'm actually thinking of developing a theory of corporate management based on reactions to that introduction. For example, when I say good morning to first year university students, they echo "good morning" back to me; when I say good morning to politicians, they remain silent, lest they be misquoted; when I say good morning to management consultants, they write it down; and when I say good morning to web content strategists, they hurry off to turn it into a inaccessible bitmap image. -
Disability Rights14 December 2012Speech
Launch of Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman Disability Action Plan
I also acknowledge representatives here of the disability community and the telecommunications industry. Also of course I acknowledge Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman Mr John Pinnock and his staff. -
Disability Rights14 December 2012Speech
10th Anniversary of the Disability Discrimination Act
I'm sure that I'm not the only person with a disability who has experienced the lonely path of advocacy. As we find it necessary to advocate for our right to be able to read the same information as the rest of society, or to enter a building through the same door, or take a guide dog to the same restaurant, we can also find ourselves agreeing with the next line of the song, "two can be as bad as one". -
Disability Rights14 December 2012Speech
Enabling access
I also acknowledge distinguished guests, representatives of State and local government, members of access advisory committees, and my colleague Mr Mike Taggart who has been a central figure in the achievement we celebrate today. -
Disability Rights14 December 2012Speech
DDA tenth anniversary award
In addition to this year's Human Rights Awards, to be announced later today, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission has decided to confer an award to mark ten years of achievements under the Disability Discrimination Act. -
Disability Rights14 December 2012Speech
The DDA and its impact in the area of Education
Perhaps it's just because I'm getting older, but I increasingly have the feeling that Australia is becoming a more sentimental and nostalgic nation. We have a Prime Minister whose vision for us is to be relaxed and comfortable. And many of us spent last night - after watching the final stages of the Australian cricket juggernaut's comprehensive winning of the ashes for the eighth time in a row - watch a bunch of old blokes who used to be rock and roll singers showing us that it was a long way to the top. Haven't we got anything more exciting to do than that? -
Disability Rights14 December 2012Speech
2nd Victorian state conference for disability direct support workers: Opening address
I hope that you are not expecting from me a speech full of stirring rhetoric, to inspire you before you settle into detailed and practical discussions throughout the rest of this conference. -
Disability Rights14 December 2012Speech
Presentation of Victorian Local Government Accessible Communities Awards
Most of you here today would know that it is not trite to say that local government is the closest level of government to our communities, and as such plays a key role in building and reinforcing the fabric of those communities. -
Disability Rights14 December 2012Speech
Disability and human rights
Allow me to commence by acknowledging the traditional custodians of the land on which we meet, the Wallumattagal clan of the Eora peoples. Let me also acknowledge my fellow speakers, as well as other distinguished guests and friends. -
Disability Rights14 December 2012Speech
Deafness Forum Annual general meeting
Thank you for this opportunity to address your AGM. These events are important times for community organisations such as yours as they provide an opportunity to celebrate your achievements, refresh your organisation and recognise the hard work of staff, your Board and the membership in general. -
Disability Rights14 December 2012Speech
Human rights for people with intellectual disabilities in Australia: where to from here?
I will not speak in detail about human rights conventions and disability because this topic is addressed by my co-speaker in this session, Karl Lachwitz. I will say though that international human rights law and human rights debate has not yet acknowledged adequately or sufficiently clearly that people with a disability are part of what the "human" in human rights means. Equally, there has not always been enough attention to human rights dimensions in disability discourse.