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‘CATSI’ is an acronym for the Commonwealth’s Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (Cth), which came into effect on 1 July 2007. The Act ‘primarily provides for the incorporation and regulation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporations’. It replaces the Aboriginal Councils and Associations Act 1976 (Cth) (the ACA Act).

We have also played an important leadership role internationally by sharing our experience with other national human rights institutions and by contributing technical assistance to advance partnerships for human rights in other countries.

Australians with disability are much less likely to be employed than people without disability. They have a comparatively lower labour force participation rate (53.2% compared to 80.1%) and a higher unemployment rate (8.6% compared to 5%) than those without a disability.

I am delighted to present my first statement as President of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. Much of what is reported in this volume occurred before I took up my appointment. The last twelve months have been a time of challenge and success for the Commission as it continues the important task of promoting and protecting the observance of human rights in Australia.

If a group’s traditional country is not in a mining area they escape the injury to country that mining represents but have little opportunity to really develop industry and commerce that could support their communities.1

All Australians have human rights. Human rights are universal: they are for everyone, everywhere, everyday. Human rights are based on values such as freedom, equality and dignity and seek to protect our quality of life.

The position of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner was established within the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission in 1993 to carry out the following functions:

Sex discrimination remains a harsh reality for many Australian women, who continue to experience unfair treatment in the workplace and other spheres of life, with complaints on the grounds of SDA rising in recent years:

1.1 That the Australian Government immediately appoint an independent person to conduct a comprehensive review of the whole native title system and report back to the Attorney-General by 30 June 2010. This review is to:

1. That the Council of Australian Governments ensure the adequate funding of appropriate Indigenous agencies to record, preserve and administer access to the testimonies of Indigenous people affected by the forcible removal policies who wish to provide their histories in audio, audio-visual or written form.

Under section 46C(1)(a) of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1986 (Cth), the Social Justice Commissioner is required annually to submit a report to the Attorney-General on the exercise and enjoyment of human rights by Aboriginal persons and Torres Strait Islanders (the Social Justice Report).

This provides an overview of the main events leading up to the introduction of the new arrangements for the administration of Indigenous affairs on 1 July 2004, as well as the key events which have occurred since that time to implement the new arrangements. For further detail on each of the events please refer to Appendix One.

The Commission implemented a Performance Management Scheme for all staff from 1 July 1999. The scheme is intended to strengthen and support the Commission in performing its functions by providing regular and formal assessment of employees' work performance and to provide employees with skill development and career advancement opportunities. A review of the Commission's Performance Management Scheme guidelines, to evaluate its effectiveness and the need to make changes to how it is operating, is planned after completion of the first cycle (1 July 1999 to 30 June 2000.