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...the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner report on the operation of the [NTA] and its effect on the exercise and enjoyment of human rights of Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders.

Indigenous health - Programs for addressing Indigenous health reveal the problem of a lack of implementation of human rights. The National Aboriginal Health Strategy (1989) and the current National Strategic Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health have been agreed by the Commonwealth with States and Territories. Both documents identify, from a human rights perspective, the key issues that must be addressed to improve Indigenous health and yet they have made very little difference to the problem (pp5-6).

The most comprehensive statement of this right is Article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).1 Article 12 states:

In those States in which ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities … exist, a child belonging to such a minority … shall not be denied the right, in community with other members of his or her group, to enjoy his or her own culture, to profess and practise his or her own religion, or to use his or her own language.

Our aim is to make this a reality. To that end we strive to build understanding in the Australian community about what human rights are and their relevance for everyday life. We have made good progress on our journey, but we know we have more work to do.

Thank you for the opportunity to make submissions to the Ministerial Inquiry to identify strategies to increase resource exploration in Western Australia - the Bowler Inquiry. Enclosed is a copy of my submission which contains several recommendations.

In November 2007, Australia elected a new federal government. With the new government came new policies aimed at improving Aboriginal’s and Torres Strait Islander’s social and economic situation. In the new government’s National Platform and Constitution[1], the Australian Labor Party stated that it:

In accordance with the functions set out in section 46C(1) (a) of the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth), this report includes 4 recommendations on justice reinvestment to reduce Indigenous over-representation in the criminal justice system, 7 recommendations for the protection of Indigenous languages and 1 recommendation for sustaining Aboriginal homeland communities.

In my role as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner I am required to produce two annual reports on Indigenous human rights issues – the Social Justice Report and the Native Title Report.

This is a paper prepared by Amnesty International for the HREOC Inquiry into children in immigration detention centres. In particular, this paper sets out Amnesty International's concerns with the detention of children, having regard to the international human rights treaties to which Australia has committed itself.

</B>While the native title system is able to deliver social and cultural outcomes through determinations of native title, Indigenous land use agreements (ILUAs) are one of the only ways in which native title holders can pursue economic development.