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The need for a long-term approach and bipartisan support across the political divide [for addressing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander disadvantage] was stressed by those attending consultations across Australia and in the hundreds of written submissions to the review. First Australians and those working with them are rightly cynical about new government reform and how long it will last. The ...

Right to freedom of expression Right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion Right to freedom of association Property rights The objective of Rights & Responsibilities 2014 was to actively seek and listen to people’s views across the country about how well their rights and freedoms are protected in Australia. This process provided an opportunity to identify systemic human rights issues and ...

The Australia of 2009 is a proud multicultural nation. It is a nation, culturally, socially and economically formed by the unique combination of its First Nation peoples, its early settlers, and by the many waves of subsequent migration. As such, negotiating diversity and respecting people of all faiths, races, cultures and identities has evolved into an important characteristic of being a member of Australian society.

In 2011–12 the Commission received 17 047 enquiries and 2 610 complaints. This is the highest number of complaints received over the past 10 years and 21% higher than the number of complaints received in the previous reporting year.

Introduction Part A: Structure of this report Part B: Summary of findings and recommendations Part C: The complaints by Mr El Masri Part D: The Commission’s human rights inquiry and complaints function Part E: Mr El Masri’s detention from 14 November 2002 to 14 October 2005 Part F: The detention of Mr El Masri on 28 November 2006 Part G: The detention of Mr El Masri in MSU Part H: Use of force on 8 August 2005 Part I: Restrictions on Mr El Masri’s telephone calls Part J: Visits by Mr El Masri’s family Part K: Findings and recommendations Appendix 1 Appendix 2 Functions

1.1 Background to this report 1.2 Compliance with human rights obligations 1.3 Conduct of visits 1.4 Overview of immigration detention facilities 1.5 Response by Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs

I attach my report of an inquiry into the complaint made pursuant to s 11(1)(f)(ii) of the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth) by Ms Maria Brown.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that around half of the 50 million displaced persons in the world are children. Around 10 million of these children are under the care of UNHCR. Approximately 100,000 separated children roam Western Europe.(1) During 1999 alone, more than 20,000 separated children applied for asylum in Western Europe, North America or Australia.(2) Of those 20,000 unaccompanied children, 46 travelled to Australia to seek asylum. In the same year a further 202 children sought asylum in Australia with their families.(3)

When it can be obtained, verified documentary evidence from a person’s country of origin can be reliable evidence of that person’s age. Consequently, the making of enquiries in Indonesia about whether such documentary evidence exists is an important means of age assessment. When they are made, such enquiries are ordinarily part of the investigation process conducted by the Australian Federal Police (AFP).