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Legal
14 December 2012WebpageMigration Amendment (Immigration Detention Reform) Bill 2009
Recommendation 1: The Bill should be amended to ensure that detention in immigration detention centres is only used as a last resort and for the shortest practicable time, as committed to in Value 5. The words ‘The Parliament affirms as a principle that’ in section 4AAA(2) should be deleted. -
Rights and Freedoms
2 September 2019Media ReleaseCommissioners call for compassionate approach for Tamil family
<p>Australian Children’s Commissioner Megan Mitchell and Human Rights Commissioner Edward Santow have today written to Minister David Coleman, calling for an urgent and compassionate resolution for the Tamil family detained in immigration detention on Christmas Island.</p> <p>“Given their connection to Australia, showing compassion and allowing the family to stay together in the only community the children have known since birth is in those children’s best interests,” said Children’s Commissioner Megan Mitchell.&nbsp;</p> -
Commission – General
14 December 2012SpeechPrevention of human rights abuses against irregular migrants: the role of National Institutions
In the age of globalisation there has been a massive increase in international migration and, as the number of international migrants has grown, so too has the problem of irregular migration. Many states have tried to stem irregular migration by introducing new border control measures and tougher criminal sanctions for people smugglers.[1] However, while effective border control is a legitimate objective of all sovereign states, state responses to the issue of irregular migration have often failed to protect the human rights of irregular migrants.[2] -
Disability Rights
29 June 2015PublicationInquiry into Human rights of People with Mental Illness report
The Report of the National Inquiry into the Human Rights of People with Mental Illness was tabled in Parliament and publicly released on 20 October 1993 and found that people affected by mental illness are among the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in our community and that they suffer from widespread systemic discrimination -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
14 August 2015PublicationUse of force in immigration detention facilities
The Migration Amendment (Maintaining the Good Order of Immigration Detention Facilities) Bill 2015 (the Bill) would give increased power to ‘authorised officers’ to use force against people (including asylum seekers) in immigration detention facilities. It appears that the majority (if not all) of the authorised officers will be employees of Serco Australia Pty Ltd (Serco), the private company contracted by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection to run Australia’s immigration detention facilities. -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
2 July 2020Opinion piece
Blanket bans would be unacceptable
<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">During lockdown, many of us – myself included – have become even more reliant on our mobile phones. They have kept us in contact with parents, children and grandchildren, our colleagues and friends during this difficult time.</span></span></p> -
Commission – General
14 December 2012Speech
Applying Human Rights in Closed Environments: Practical Observations on Monitoring and Oversight (2012)
I begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation, and I pay my respects to their elders past and present. -
14 December 2012Book page
Photos - Immigration detention in Leonora (2011)
The Australian Human Rights Commission visited the immigration detention facility in Leonora, Western Australia in November 2010. Photos taken during the Commission’s visit are set out below. -
5 February 2015Book page
13 Continuing impacts on children once released
<ul> <li><a href="#a13-1">13.1 How are children faring once released?</a></li> <li><a href="#a13-2">13.2 Continuing impacts of detention on infants and preschoolers</a></li> <li><a href="#a13-3">13.3 Continuing impacts of detention on primary school aged children </a></li> <li><a href="#a13-4">13.4 Continuing impacts of detention on teenagers</a></li> <li><a href="#a13-5">13.5 Ongoing impacts of long term detention</a></li> <li><a href="#a13-6">13.6 Findings regarding the continuing impacts of detention</a></li> </ul> -
19 July 2013Project
Immigration detention, asylum seekers and refugees
<p>The Commission seeks to ensure that the human rights of all people held in immigration detention in Australia are protected. The Commission has focused its recent immigration detention work on the conditions and treatment of asylum seekers, refugees and children, because they have specific vulnerabilities and are given special protections under international law.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> -
Commission – General
14 December 2012Speech
Speeches by the Hon. Catherine Branson, President, Australian Human Rights Commission
The Hon Catherine Branson was President of the Australian Human Rights Commission from 7 August 2008 - 29 July 2012. Click here to access her biography. -
Rights and Freedoms
26 September 2016Speech
Human rights and the overreach of executive discretion: citizenship, asylum seekers and whistleblowers
<p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE OVERREACH OF EXECUTIVE DISCRETION: CITIZENSHIP, ASYLUM SEEKERS AND WHISTLEBLOWERS</strong></p> <p>GILLIAN TRIGGS<sup><a href="#fn1" name="fnB1">[*]</a></sup></p> <p>(Annual Tony Blackshield Lecture delivered at Macquarie Law School,<br>Macquarie University, 5 November 2015)</p> <hr> <p>&nbsp;</p> -
24 April 2015Book page
Annex 3: Recommendations by the Australian Human Rights Commission for Australia’s UPR appearance
<h2><strong>2 Background and framework for human rights promotion and protection</strong></h2> <h3><strong><em>2.2 Scope of international obligations</em></strong></h3> <ol> <li>The Commission recommends that Government expedite the ratification of OPCAT and establishment of a National Preventive Mechanism for places of detention.</li> <li>The Commission recommends that the Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on Treaties conduct a National Interest Analysis on ratification of ILO Convention 169, Migrant Workers Convention and Optional Protocols for communications under ICESCR and CRC.</li></ol> -
Commission – General
14 December 2012Speech
President speech: ‘A Human Rights Act for Australia’ - Dame Roma Mitchell Memorial Luncheon
I would like to begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation, and pay my respects to their elders past and present. -
Commission – General
14 December 2012Speech
ARE WE CROSSING THE LINE?: FORUM ON NATIONAL SECURITY LAWS AND HUMAN RIGHTS
This paper deals with two aspects of the bill: the preventative detention orders and the new sedition offence. It does not touch on the problematic control orders. -
Rights and Freedoms
18 November 2020Webpage
What human rights are at particular risk of being restricted during a pandemic?
Learn how human rights were restricted during the COVID-19 pandemic and how vulnerable people and groups were subjected to more human rights incursions. -
Children's Rights
17 January 2019Media ReleaseCommission welcomes National Apology
<p>The Australian Human Rights Commission today welcomes the Prime Minister’s National Apology to Victims and Survivors of Institutional Child Sexual Abuse, which will take place this morning at Parliament House in Canberra.</p> <p>The National Children’s Commissioner, Megan Mitchell said it’s an incredibly significant and historic moment in time.</p> <p>“I applaud the Prime Minister in taking this opportunity to recognise the pain and suffering of those who were abused as children and young people, because such experiences can never be forgotten,” said Commissioner Mitchell.</p> -
14 December 2012Book page
Monitoring and reporting on laws and policy - Annual Report 2009-2010: Australian Human Rights Commission
The Commission assesses compliance with human rights principles by examining and reporting on issues of race, age, sex and disability discrimination and human rights. In doing so, we play a significant role in the monitoring of legislation and policy in Australia. -
14 December 2012Book page
A last resort? - Summary Guide: Children with Disabilities
The Convention on the Rights of the Child is very clear that extra efforts must be taken to provide children with disabilities with the support they need to enjoy a 'full and decent life'. -
Legal
14 December 2012Webpage
Summary of Interventions by the Australian Human Rights Commission
<p><a id="anchor" name="anchor"></a> </p> <!-- InstanceBeginEditable name="BodyText" --> <h2>Summary of Interventions by the Australian Human Rights Commission</h2> <p>Updated 11 December 2009</p> <h5>Download</h5> <p><a href="/sites/default/files/content/legal/submissions_court/guidelines/table_interventions.pdf">PDF</a> (100 kb)</p> <p><a href="/sites/default/files/content/legal/submissions_court/guidelines/table_interventions.doc">Word</a> (181 kb)</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>