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With a plethora of issues currently impacting significantly on the rights of people across Australia, an upcoming landmark national conference during the Vivid Sydney festival is set to explore a range of new approaches to protecting and promoting human rights in Australia. Concerns about racism and freedom of speech stemming from the impact of the war in Gaza; Australia’s domestic violence,…

Organisers of a major national human rights conference have just announced a 60% discount for students who want to attend the historic gathering in June during the Vivid Sydney festival. Presented by the Australian Human Rights Commission, the Free + Equal Human Rights Conference is set to attract hundreds of delegates from across Australia’s human rights, civil society, legal, justice,…

Two of Australia’s most famous legal eagles are set to team up to prosecute the case for an Australian Human Rights Act at an historic two-day forum in June during the Vivid Sydney festival. Eminent international jurist and former High Court judge Michael Kirby and leading international human rights lawyer Jennifer Robinson (who represents Julian Assange) will tag team at the Free + Equal…

Disability Discrimination Commissioner Rosemary Kayess has urged the Federal Government to make a stronger commitment to the Disability Royal Commission’s recommendations, if the vision for a more inclusive Australia is to ever be achieved.

Age Discrimination Commissioner Robert Fitzgerald AM has said Commonwealth and State and Territory governments must act now to achieve national consistency in laws governing enduring power of attorney, following the release of a new report.

First Nations female leaders from across Australia are demanding immediate reform to Western Australia’s approach to youth justice in the wake of today’s riots at the Banksia Hill Juvenile Detention Centre. Hundreds of First Nations women are attending the Wiyi Yani U Thangani National Summit in Canberra this week, including Commissioner for Children and Young People WA Jacqueline McGowan…

Race Discrimination Commissioner Giridharan Sivaraman has welcomed the release of the Multicultural Framework Review by the Federal Government, calling it a significant step towards the greater recognition of the rights of racially marginalised Australians. The review, led by an independent panel, was released by Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs Minister Andrew Giles on…

The tragic deaths of three children in Sydney’s west over the weekend is yet another reminder of the fact that children are not just ‘witnesses’ of domestic, family and sexual violence - they are victims in their own right.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner and the National Children’s Commissioner today criticised the failure of leadership by the Commonwealth, states and territories to incorporate human rights standards into domestic law.  

Sex Discrimination Commissioner Dr Anna Cody has welcomed the Australian parliament’s passing of legislation that will prevent courts ordering applicants to pay respondent’s costs in Federal Court discrimination cases.

Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Katie Kiss, National Children's Commissioner Anne Hollonds, and Human Rights Commissioner Lorraine Finlay have expressed their sadness and disappointment following the death yesterday of a First Nations teenager who was incarcerated in Western Australia’s Banksia Hill youth detention centre.

Sex Discrimination Commissioner Anna Cody has welcomed the Federal Government’s decision to commit to including LGBTQIA+ Australians in the 2026 Census.

As the launch of National Child Protection Week throws the spotlight on creating better futures where children and young people flourish, the National Children’s Commissioner Anne Hollonds is speaking up for the thousands of children whose futures are bleak because Australian governments do not prioritise their human rights to safety, care and protection. Commissioner Hollonds said: “It was…

Australia’s Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner and National Children’s Commissioner welcome the National Cabinet’s funding announcement to end gendered violence in Australia this morning.

The report identifies data collection and education on racism, and cultural safety as key themes. It also identifies media regulation, standards, and legal protections as priority areas for action. 

Any significant restrictions imposed on a person held in immigration detention, including the widespread use of restraints like handcuffs, must be tailored to individual circumstances and risks, according to a new report released by the Australian Human Rights Commission today. The Commission has made 34 recommendations to improve risk management practice based on its inspections of…

Australia’s Sex Discrimination Commissioner Dr Anna Cody has called on the Federal Government to reconsider a decision to renege on a commitment to have LGBTIQA+-related questions and topics in the 2026 Census.