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The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Australian Human Rights Commission (the Commission) report on Immigration detention and offshore processing on Christmas Island following its visit to Christmas Island in July 2009.

The Council of Social Service of NSW (NCOSS) is an independent non-government organisation and is the peak body for the social and community services sector in NSW. NCOSS works with its members on behalf of disadvantaged people and communities towards achieving social justice in New South Wales. It was established in 1935 and is part of a national network of Councils of Social Service which operate in each State and Territory and at Commonwealth level.

I would like first of all to follow UN custom and protocol and pay tribute to the Aboriginal Peoples of this land, the original occupants and owners of this territory, and thank them for hosting our meeting today. On behalf of the Secretariat of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the Coordinator of the Second International Decade of the World's Indigenous People, Mr. Jose Antonio Ocampo, I would also like to extend a warm welcome to all of you and a special thanks to our partner, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (Australia).

Family violence and abuse occurs at unacceptable rates in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous) communities. We have heard many tragic stories of women, children and young people who have experienced devastating sexual abuse and family violence. It is a scourge that is causing damage and trauma among Indigenous communities, to our women and children, and to the fabric of Indigenous cultures.

Graeme Innes, AM, Deputy Disability Discrimination Commissioner, welcomed participants to the meeting, and expressed the Commission's pleasure that so much good will and commitment had been observed during the preparatory work leading up to the meeting. He noted that many problems impacting on people with a disability are systemic issues, and may not be most effectively resolved through individual complaints which, in the main, provide individual solutions that do not have wider applicability.

The Commission has a highly committed and experienced workforce. To ensure that staff have support to achieve a work life balance, we provide access to a wide range of flexible work options. These best practice strategies assist staff of all ages, with various disabilities and external responsibilities to work productively and safely.

In 1999, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission's (HREOC) Report of the National Pregnancy and Work Inquiry, Pregnant and Productive, recognised the importance of paid maternity leave to Australian women and recommended that the Federal Government commission economic modelling to assess the viability and consequences of such a scheme. This interim options paper has been developed in order to consult, inform the debate and examine the options for paid maternity leave in Australia. The economic modelling to support this debate has not yet been done.

This report contains a summary of observations made by the Australian Human Rights Commission (the Commission) during its 2010 visit to the immigration detention facilities on Christmas Island.

Dr William Jonas commenced duty as acting Race Discrimination Commissioner in September 1999 in addition to his duties as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner.

The Report on the Review into the Treatment of Women at the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA Review) was tabled in the Australian Parliament on 3 November 2011. The Review into the Treatment of Women at the Australian Defence Force Academy: Audit Report (ADFA Audit) was tabled on 23 July 2013. In releasing the ADFA Audit, the Sex Discrimination Commissioner stated that she would give ADFA ...

The message coming through loudly and clearly from consumers is that the introduction of Living Wills which have some legal force would mean an improvement in the recognition of their rights.