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Age Discrimination16 May 2023Speech
Human Rights Don't Diminish With Age (2023)
Hon. Dr Kay Patterson AO Age Discrimination Commissioner Speech to Chris Barnard Nursing Agency (CBNA) MACG Grand Cedar, Ashwood VIC, 3 May 2023 CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY Welcome everyone - I wish to acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung and Bunurong people as the traditional owners of the lands from which I speak and pay respect to their Elders, past, present and emerging. I also want to ... -
Disability Rights13 September 2019Speech
22nd Session of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
22nd Session of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Australia’s appearance, 12 to 13 September 2019 Geneva, Palais des Nations Room XVII Opening Statement (5 minutes) Ben Gauntlett, Disability Discrimination Commissioner Thank you Mr Chairman. I welcome the opportunity to make this statement on behalf of the Australian Human Rights Commission. Australia has made some progress ... -
14 December 2012Book page
Native Title Report 2008 - Case Study 2
The landscape of the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB) is under severe ecological stress. Issues such as salinity, poor water quality, stressed forests, dried wetlands, threatened native species, feral animals and noxious weeds are commonplace within the MDB. The reasons for this dramatic decline in river health are caused by water mismanagement including reversal of natural flow cycles and over allocation of water licences. Generations of bad farm practices such as deforestation have also played a major role in the ecological disaster that is the MDB.[1] -
Disability Rights6 April 2020Submission
Submission: People with Disability and the Criminal Justice System (2020)
The Australian Human Rights Commission (the Commission) welcomes the opportunity to provide this submission to the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability (the Royal Commission). -
Sex Discrimination28 January 2020Publication
Respect@Work: Sexual Harassment National Inquiry Report (2020)
Workplace sexual harassment is prevalent and pervasive: it occurs in every industry, in every location and at every level, in Australian workplaces. -
Rights and Freedoms22 February 2023News story
Urgent action needed following termination of UN inspection
The Australian Human Rights Commission says an extraordinary decision to terminate a tour of Australian places of detention by United Nations inspectors reflects Australia’s fragmented approach to protecting the human rights of people in detention. -
Sex Discrimination7 February 2020Publication
Respect@Work: Community Guide to the Sexual Harassment National Inquiry Report (2020)
Also available: Full Report A message from the Commissioner Australia was once at the forefront of tackling sexual harassment globally. Women’s organisations in Australia began to press for the legal and social recognition of sex discrimination in the early 1970s. This movement built on Australia’s ratification of two key international conventions: the International Labour Organization’s ... -
Rights and Freedoms20 May 2024Media Release
Rights-based solutions to critical social issues set to take centre stage at landmark forum in Sydney
With a plethora of issues currently impacting significantly on the rights of people across Australia, an upcoming landmark national conference during the Vivid Sydney festival is set to explore a range of new approaches to protecting and promoting human rights in Australia. Concerns about racism and freedom of speech stemming from the impact of the war in Gaza; Australia’s domestic violence, youth ... -
Rights and Freedoms15 March 2024Speech
Free + Equal: Australian Conversation on Human Rights Opening Remarks
Opening Remarks Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM President, Australian Human Rights Commission Check against delivery Your Excellency, Dr Michele Bachelet, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights; Australian Human Rights Commission Commissioners—Dr Ben Gauntlett, Disability Discrimination Commissioner, Race Discrimination Commissioner Chin Tan, Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate ... -
Disability Rights22 November 2019Speech
Speech to National Labor Disability Summit
Dr Ben Gauntlett National Labor Disability Summit Melbourne November 1, 2019 Good disability policy benefits all Australians. When we think of disability policy, it is not “us” and “them”, it is "we", we the people of Australia need good disability policy because it reflects our values of diversity and inclusion. It reflects our human rights obligations and there are critical economic arguments ... -
14 December 2012Book page
2011 Immigration detention at Curtin
For more than a decade, the Australian Human Rights Commission has called for reforms to Australia’s system of mandatory and indefinite immigration detention – both in light of the impacts it has on people’s mental health and wellbeing, and because it leads to breaches of Australia’s international human rights obligations. During this time, the Commission has investigated numerous complaints from people in detention and conducted two national inquiries into the mandatory detention system.[1] -
Rights and Freedoms8 October 2019Speech
Free and Equal: An Australian Conversation on Human Rights
‘Free and Equal: An Australian Conversation on Human Rights’ 8 October 2019 Opening Remarks Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM President, Australian Human Rights Commission Check against delivery Your Excellency, Dr Michele Bachelet, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights; Australian Human Rights Commission Commissioners—Dr Ben Gauntlett, Disability Discrimination Commissioner ... -
Children's Rights4 October 2019Media Release
UN calls for national action to protect the rights of children and young people in Australia
The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child is calling on Australia to prioritise raising the age of criminal responsibility as part of its Concluding Observations on Australia's performance in protecting the country's children and young people. This comes at a time when there is a strong push around the country to improve our responses to juvenile offending and do more to divert children from ... -
Rights and Freedoms28 June 2020Media Release
Implementing OPCAT in Australia released
The Commission has today released recommendations for how Australia should implement the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT). Implementing OPCAT in Australia is the final step in the Commission’s consultation process with civil society, inspectorate and monitoring bodies, and a number of state and territory ... -
Rights and Freedoms31 July 2019Speech
Free and Equal: A National Reform Agenda for Human Rights in Australia for the next decade
Commission President Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM addressed the Castan Centre human rights conference on July 26. The topic was ‘Free and Equal’: A National Reform Agenda for Human Rights in Australia for the next decade. Thank you to the Castan Centre, and its Director, Professor Sarah Joseph, for inviting me to speak. Let me begin by acknowledging the traditional custodians of the ... -
Children's Rights27 October 2021News story
Child-friendly guide to help understand child sexual abuse
The Australian Human Rights Commission has worked with the National Office for Child Safety to develop a guide to help children and young people understand child sexual abuse, and how to seek help. The guide was launched today to support Australia’s first ever National Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Child Sexual Abuse. National Children’s Commissioner Anne Hollonds said: “Child sexual abuse is ... -
Disability Rights30 October 2020Submission
Submission in response to the National Disability Strategy: Position Paper (2020)
1. Introduction The Australian Human Rights Commission (the Commission) welcomes the opportunity to provide the Department of Social Services (DSS) with this submission in response to the National Disability Strategy: Position Paper [i] (the Position Paper) regarding the development of a new National Disability Strategy (the New Strategy). The Commission is Australia’s national human rights ... -
Sex Discrimination3 May 2021Publication
Change the Routine: Independent Review into Gymnastics in Australia
Placing the voices of children and young people and their families at the centre, this report outlines the Commission’s key findings and presents 12 recommendations for whole of sport change. -
Sex Discrimination8 May 2019Webpage
National Inquiry into Sexual Harassment in Australian Workplaces - Terms of Reference
Back to National Inquiry into Sexual Harassment in Australian Workplaces main page Terms of Reference The National Inquiry is being conducted pursuant to sections 11(1)(a), 11(1)(e), 11(1)(f), 11(1)(g), 11(1)(j), 11(1)(k) and 11(1)(p) of the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth). The National Inquiry will review and report on: a national survey of the prevalence, nature and reporting ... -
Disability Rights8 May 2020Speech
COVID-19: Advancing Rights and Justice During a Pandemic
Columbia Law School Human Rights Institute Virtual Event Series May 7, 2020 Ben Gauntlett, Disability Discrimination Commissioner Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, fellow speakers. Thank you to Professor Emens for that kind introduction. COVID-19 exacerbates disadvantage – but in doing so it highlights the importance of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and ...