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14 December 2012Book page
Community arrangements -asylum seekers, refugees and stateless persons
This year marks the twentieth anniversary of Australia’s introduction of mandatory immigration detention and the eighteenth anniversary of the system of mandatory, indefinite immigration detention. In the current context, it is apt to recall that mandatory detention was introduced in reaction to the arrival of asylum seekers by boat, with concerns about a potential ‘influx’ spurring bipartisan support for increasingly tough measures on persons who arrived in Australia without a visa.[8] -
14 December 2012Book page
Background paper: Immigration detention and visa cancellation under section 501 of the Migration Act (2010)
Under section 501 of the Migration Act 1958 (Cth) (Migration Act), a non-citizen’s visa may be cancelled if they do not satisfy the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship (the Minister) or the Minister’s delegate that they pass the ‘character test’. -
14 December 2012Book page
Commission Website: National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention
Article 3(1) of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child provides that a child's best interests are to be a primary consideration in all actions concerning them. The Australian system, whereby the guardian of unaccompanied child asylum seekers is the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, rather than an authoritative, independent statutory body, does not ensure that the requirements of article 3(1) are met. -
Commission – General14 December 2012Speech
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by President of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission John von Doussa QC Human Rights Medal and Awards Ceremony Sheraton on the Park Hotel, Sydney -
Disability Rights14 December 2012Speech
Foresight not oversight
On behalf of the Commission I'm very pleased to receive the C & W Optus Disability Discrimination Action Plan. It's a great way to celebrate this International Day of People with Disabilities. -
Commission – General14 December 2012Speech
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I also thank Professor Barry Brook for his survey of the latest scientific assessments and forecasts on the impact of climate change on our planet. They are indeed alarming. The fact of climate change, and the rate of change, has become all too clear, even if there are still sceptics that wish to debate the causes. Our title reference to “Catastrophic Impacts” seems fully justified. -
Rights and Freedoms14 March 2024Speech
The Perils of Independence
The Australian Human Rights Commission’s role in protecting human rights in Australia Sir Ronald Wilson Lecture 2021 Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM President, Australian Human Rights Commission Acknowledgements Thank you Matthew McGuire for your welcome to country and Kendra Turner as MC. I am speaking from the traditional lands of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation, in the city of ... -
Legal14 December 2012Webpage
Migration Amendment (Immigration Detention Reform) Bill 2009
Recommendation 1: The Bill should be amended to ensure that detention in immigration detention centres is only used as a last resort and for the shortest practicable time, as committed to in Value 5. The words ‘The Parliament affirms as a principle that’ in section 4AAA(2) should be deleted. -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice14 December 2012Speech
Speeches 2007: 40 years on: what does the ‘Yes’ vote mean for Indigenous Australians?
Anglicare, Tasmania Annual Social Justice Lecture 22 August, 2007 TOM CALMA Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner National Race Discrimination Commissioner Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission -
Business and Human Rights30 November 2022Speech
Executive discretion in a time of COVID-19
Responses to the COVID-19 pandemic have required very quick action by governments. But those responses have also involved significant limitations on people’s rights and freedoms, especially freedom of movement, and implemented through executive power often with limited parliamentary involvement. -
Race Discrimination14 December 2012Speech
Refugee Week 2006 – Adelaide
Until a few weeks ago, this was an article of faith on the part of every politician. Now we are told we need to make significant policy changes to address weaknesses in our citizenship laws. -
Rights and Freedoms27 November 2013Speech
Freedom of Speech and Racial vilification: one man’s freedom ends where another’s starts
The Sydney Institute Tuesday 26 November 2013 6pm Venue: King & Wood Mallesons, Level 61, Governor Phillip Tower, 1 Farrer Place, Sydney (Check against delivery) I am pleased to have the opportunity to contribute to the Sydney Institute speakers program and to discuss two freedoms- freedom of speech and freedom from racial vilification. The Sydney Institute is an invaluable not for profit group ... -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice14 December 2012Speech
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I acknowledge the traditional owners of the land where we meet today, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation and I pay my respects to your elders and to the ancestors. On behalf of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission can I welcome everyone here today and thank you for participating in this launch. Thank you to Rob Welsh, the Chairperson of the Metro Local Aboriginal Land Council for welcoming us all to Gadigal country. -
Legal14 December 2012Webpage
Submission to National Human Rights Consultation (2009)
The Australian Human Rights Commission (the Commission) welcomes the opportunity to make this submission to the National Human Rights Consultation (the Consultation). -
Legal27 October 2014Submission
Information concerning Australia’s compliance with the Convention Against Torture
Information concerning Australia’s compliance with the Convention Against Torture Submission by the Australian Human Rights Commission 17 October 2014 Download PDF Download Word Table of Contents 1 Introduction 2 Statutory powers of the Australian Human Rights Commission 3 Independent monitoring and inspection mechanisms, including ratification of the Optional Protocol 4 Domestic implementation of ... -
26 May 2014Speech
Changing Hearts, Changing Minds
We all share a responsibility to lead cultural change for inclusion of people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex. Building on the previous work of the Commission, I’ll be using my term as Human Rights Commissioner to ensure these issues are given national attention. It was an honour to be a keynote speaker at the Human Rights Forum of the Asia Pacific Outgames in Darwin. -
14 December 2012Book page
Chapter 2 – An Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander human rights protection framework for the 21st century: Social Justice Report 2008
All Australians are equally entitled to enjoy the rights, benefits and responsibilities of citizenship. In our society, every person should feel free from discrimination of any kind and have the right to share in the nation's land, resources and wealth. The entitlements and freedoms of all people are recognised in human rights instruments, many of which have been freely signed and ratified by Australia, and in some instances are now a part of Australian law. -
Rights and Freedoms13 May 2014Speech
The Forgotten Freedoms
The Sydney Institute -
Legal14 December 2012Webpage
Australian Human Rights Commission Submission to the Joint Select Committee on Australia’s Immigration Detention Network (2011)
The Australian Government should implement reforms it announced in 2008 under which immigration detention is to be used as a last resort and for the shortest practicable period, people are to be detained in the least restrictive environment appropriate to their individual circumstances, and there is a presumption that people will be permitted to reside in the community unless they pose an unacceptable risk. -
Rights and Freedoms4 February 2019Speech
Roles, responsibilities and challenges
The Australian Human Rights Commission—roles, responsibilities and challenges Supreme and Federal Court Judges’ Conference 2019 Hobart, 22 January 2019 Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM [Professor Croucher spoke to this paper] Introduction I begin my presentation by acknowledging the traditional custodians of this land, and pay my respect to the elders, past, present, and emerging. Thank you ...