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8.1 The profiles indicate a growing awareness by custodial and medical staff of issues concerning the proper treatment of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous prisoners. However, implementation of the recommendations is uneven. Some recommendations have not been implemented in any jurisdiction.

Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) is a network of Australian lawyers interested in furthering awareness and advocacy of human rights in Australia. ALHR promotes the practice of human rights law in Australia and works with Australian and international human rights organisations to achieve this aim.

In 2001-02, as in past years, the Commission participated in some bilateral international program activities, generally as part of the Australian Government's development cooperation program developed by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID).

The consultation received a number of suggestions about other ways in which the Australian Government could protect the human rights of LGBTI people in Australia. Many participants argued that while anti-discrimination legislation is an important step towards equality, it is essential that it is accompanied by other actions. Suggestions were often informed by personal experiences of discrimination.

This is my third Native Title Report as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner. This year I continue the theme from my previous Reports by focusing on land tenure and economic reform on Indigenous communal lands.1

The Commission is an organisation established under the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1986. It has a President and six Commissioners. The six positions are currently held by four persons.

State and Territory legislation, programs and policies in the areas of child welfare, adoption and juvenile justice are intended to provide a non-discriminatory framework for the administration of services. In many cases, programs are designed with the objective of reducing the extent of contemporary removals of Indigenous children and young people. In spite of this, the over-representation of Indigenous children among children living separately from their families and communities, temporarily or permanently, remains high.

In accordance with the functions set out in section 46C(1) (a) of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1986 (Cth), this report includes ten recommendations on formal protections for Indigenous peoples’ human rights, four recommendations for remote Indigenous education, and one recommendation for Indigenous healing. The report also contains one follow-up action that I will undertake in the next 12 months in relation to providing advice on a model for a new National Indigenous Representative Body.

Organisational excellence The Commission is accredited as an ‘A status’ national human rights institution (NHRI) by the International Coordinating Committee (ICC) of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights. The ICC is responsible for accrediting new NHRIs, as well as re-accrediting existing NHRIs every five years, according to a rigorous and transparent process ...

1. Ten Years on from the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody 2. Mutual Obligation, Welfare Reform and Indigenous Participation: A Human Rights Perspective

The Complaint Handling Section had a productive year investigating and conciliating complaints of alleged discrimination and human rights breaches; providing information to the public about federal anti-discrimination and human rights law through its Complaint Information Service and community education and liaison program; and providing complaint investigation and resolution skills training to state equal opportunity, anti-discrimination authorities, other Australian Public Service agencies and private companies.

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).