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Back to 1999 - 2000 Annual Report Contents Annual Report 1999 - 2000 Appendix 3 Address of Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission and State and Territory Commissions Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Level 8, Piccadilly Tower 133 Castlereagh Street Sydney NSW 2000 GPO Box 5218 Sydney NSW 1042 Telephone: (02) 9284 9600 Enquiries and publications: 1300 369 711 Complaints infoline ...

The Australian Human Rights Commission (the Commission) visited immigration detention facilities in Darwin from 6 to 10 September 2010. The visit was conducted by Commission President and Human Rights Commissioner, Catherine Branson QC, as well as Commission staff and consultants including a consultant psychiatrist.

“Traffickers violate the basic human rights of victims to be free from sexual abuse, exploitation and slavery. The sexual servitude experienced by those trafficked for prostitution intrudes into and violates a human’s privacy and personal integrity.”

Thank you for inviting me here to speak at the Sydney launch of two reports from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner; the 2003 Native Title Report and the 2003 Social Justice Report.

Indigenous individuals have an equal right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. States shall take the necessary steps with a view to achieving progressively the full realization of this right.

Equality for people of all sexual orientations and sex/and or gender identities is supported by international human rights agreements which Australia has agreed to observe. Taking steps to achieve such equality is the responsibility of the federal government. For this reason, the Commission is particularly pleased by the Government’s commitment to introduce federal protections from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and sex and/or gender identity.

On page 188 of the Agency's Annual Report 2003-04, the total amount of the consultancies engaged during the period was incorrectly reported. Please find below a correction to the information provided in the report.

To mark the 30 th anniversary of the Racial Discrimination Act (RDA), the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission is putting together ‘Voices of Australia ’ – a magazine and audio CD of real-life stories about diversity and living together in contemporary Australia.

As discussed in Chapter 2 of this report, WORKability I: Barriers highlighted two specific areas for ongoing consultation with the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, namely:

The term 'Shared Responsibility Agreement' (SRA) describes agreements between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and groups and Australian governments based on the principle of mutual obligation. The principle of mutual obligation requires both parties, the community and the Government to each contribute towards making the agreement work. This fact sheet looks at SRAs in the light of human rights principles and considers developments during the first 12 months of SRA-making.

"When I first arrived on this soil, I asked around about who the custodians of the land were here.... it's very important for us to know about the land and its history. This was common practice for us back home. Unfortunately though no-one could actually tell us. For me it really showed that as newcomers we have an obligation to remember the history of this land and its original people, and that we always pay respects to that..." (Community Leader, Victoria).

The President of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) is responsible for the investigation and conciliation of complaints lodged under federal anti-discrimination and human rights law. Staff of HREOC’s Complaint Handling Section (CHS) assist the President to investigate and resolve complaints. The CHS also provides information to the public about the law and the complaint process through the Complaint Information Service and a range of community education and training activities.