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Last year, when I announced the priorities for my term I said that, as a nation, we needed to develop stronger and deeper relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the rest of the Australia, between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and all levels of government, and between ourselves as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

We must face up to our humanitarian responsibilities to accept refugee children and their families. We must take them out of the immigration detention centres and welcome them into the community where they can play, learn and grow. At least then when our children look back on this time and ask us what we did to stand up for refugee kids, we can say we gave them their childhood." (Calvert, 2001).

In summary Discrimination related to pregnancy and on return to work after parental leave is a systemic and widespread issue that places an economic impost on employers and organisations and on the Australian economy – particularly to the extent that it contributes to women’s under-participation or withdrawal from the workforce. There is a clear business imperative to address such discrimination ...

While there appears to be no express right of general application to ‘access cyberspace/the Internet’ stipulated in any of the major international human rights instruments, [210] it has been argued at the international level that such access is critical, particularly in terms of the right to freedom of expression, and in the redressing of structural disadvantage. Accordingly a number of countries ...

In July 2010, the Racism and the Tertiary Student Experience in Australia policy paper was released, the result of our partnership with the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia and Universities Australia. With international student safety a major political, social and economic issue, we led a collaboration of student representatives, key institutions and international experts to address the policy gap, identify the human rights issues and advocate for solutions. This partnership helped create a national voice for international students.

Education is a key determinant in predicting health and well-being, longevity, employment, housing and economic stability. This section documents the issues emerging from the consultations and public submissions in relation to education.

This year marked the end of my nationwide Listening Tour and the beginning of what has been a busy but rewarding time in my term as Commissioner. I am delighted to report that it has been an exciting year for progressing gender and age equality in Australia. The Listening Tour played an important role in setting the agenda for my term. In deciding where the Commission should focus its efforts, I was guided by three questions that emerged from the Listening Tour

Despite the positive positioning of the National Apology and the establishment of the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples, the fundamental nature of the Northern Territory Emergency Response continued to impede the development of a good relationship between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the Australian Government.