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Children's Rights19 April 2021Media Release
Governments must prioritise raising the age
National Children’s Commissioner, Anne Hollonds and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, June Oscar AO have urged all Australian governments to raise the age of criminal responsibility as a matter of priority. A report commissioned by a meeting of Attorneys-General in July last year recommended that all jurisdictions raise the age and ensure younger teenagers are not ... -
Age Discrimination26 April 2023Media Release
State AG inaction enables power-of-attorney parasites: Commissioner
Australia’s Age Discrimination Commissioner says thousands of older Australians are being robbed and cheated out of millions of dollars every year because of a dysfunctional enduring power-of-attorney (EPOA) framework. The Commissioner is calling on state and territory Attorneys-General to commit to fixing the problem at the Standing Council of Attorneys-General meeting in Darwin this week. An ... -
Age Discrimination27 November 2019Media Release
Attorneys-General Need to Act on Elder Abuse
Age Discrimination Commissioner Dr Kay Patterson is calling on the Council of Attorneys-General to agree to take immediate action on elder abuse at their meeting tomorrow to develop a timetable outlining its action plan. “Elder abuse is a blight on our society. Older Australians do not have time on their side, they need immediate action from Governments at state and federal levels,” said Dr ... -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice13 February 2019Media Release
Kimberley Suicide report must be turning point for action
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner June Oscar AO says the report into the deaths of 13 Aboriginal children and young people must be the turning point for action. The West Australian Coroner Ros Fogliani has today handed down her report into the suicides in the Kimberley region between November 12 and March 2016. Commissioner Oscar said unlike the many previous ... -
Rights and Freedoms17 January 2019Media Release
Encryption law falls short on rights safeguards
Human Rights Commissioner Edward Santow warns significant threats to human rights remain despite some improvements to Australia’s encryption law. “Police and security agencies must be equipped with robust powers to protect our national security. However, these powers need independent oversight, to ensure any impact on our human rights is proportionate to the relevant risks,” said Commissioner ... -
Race Discrimination8 May 2019Media Release
National Consultations with Australian Muslims
The Race Discrimination Commissioner Chin Tan will today announce a series of national consultations with the Muslim community in Australia about their experiences of hate speech and violence and about their ideas for change. Commissioner Tan will make the announcement at a Harmony Day Event in Sydney. “In the aftermath of the horrific attacks in Christchurch, I want to hear the voices of Muslim ... -
Children's Rights4 August 2022Media Release
National day spotlights culture and rights of First Nations children
Celebrating and showcasing the lives of First Nations children is the focus of today’s National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day. With the theme this year of ‘My Dreaming, My Future’, the day also provides a valuable opportunity to reflect on how Australians can work together to improve a range of health, social and human rights outcomes for young First Nations people ... -
Race Discrimination19 April 2021Media Release
Stop mass incarceration to prevent deaths in custody
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, June Oscar AO said Australia must stop the “mass incarceration” of its Indigenous people or else deaths in custody will continue to occur. Commissioner Oscar said her thoughts are with all the families who have lost loved ones over recent months, and in the 30 years since the Report of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in ... -
Children's Rights17 January 2019Media Release
Commission welcomes National Apology
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. The National Children’s Commissioner, Megan Mitchell said it’s an incredibly significant and historic moment in time. “I applaud the Prime Minister in taking this opportunity to ... -
Rights and Freedoms16 October 2023Media Release
Finalists announced for 2023 Australian Human Rights Awards
Monday 16 October 2023: A diverse array of people and organisations from across Australia have been selected as finalists for this year’s Australian Human Rights Awards, the country’s premier national event for honouring and celebrating Australia’s human rights heroes. The 21 finalists were selected from over 260 nominations across five categories, including the prestigious Australian Human Rights ... -
Commission – General29 March 2023Media Release
Dr Ben Gauntlett appointed as Deputy Commissioner to the NACC
The Attorney-General, The Hon Mark Dreyfus KC today announced that Disability Discrimination Commissioner, Dr Ben Gauntlett has been appointed as Deputy Commissioner to the National Anti-Corruption Commission. -
Children's Rights24 August 2022Media Release
Survey shows children need better mental health support
A national survey examining the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people during the COVID-19 pandemic shows children and their families need better support from schools and mental health services. An initiative of the National Children's Commissioner, the survey found that children most commonly seek mental health support from their families, friends and schools. However, these ... -
Rights and Freedoms17 January 2019Media Release
Winners announced - 2018 Human Rights Awards
The Honourable Justice Peter McClellan AM and Chrissie Foster have won the prestigious 2018 Human Rights Medal for their enormous contribution to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Chrissie Foster has long campaigned for justice for survivors of institutional child sexual abuse and Justice McClellan led the five-year Royal Commission. Accepting the Medal at ... -
Commission – General17 January 2019Media Release
Finalists for 2018 Government Award revealed
Four finalists have been selected from a diverse range of nominations for the 2018 Human Rights Awards’ Government Award. This year marks the first time our Awards recognise Government as a stand-alone category. “There are many Government groups and individuals helping others overcome discrimination and isolation and building tolerance and respect in the community and further afield,” said ... -
Disability Rights8 May 2019Media Release
Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse and Neglect of People with Disability
Statement from Alastair McEwin, Disability Discrimination Commissioner I support the motion to hold a Royal Commission into the violence, abuse and neglect of people with disability. I call upon the Government to act immediately on this motion by proceeding to establish the Royal Commission without further delay. The prevalence and pervasiveness of violence, abuse and neglect against people with ... -
Race Discrimination22 July 2021Media Release
Sharing the Stories of Australian Muslims
Most Australian Muslims (63%) believe Australia is a welcoming society, despite an even greater majority (80%) experiencing prejudice or discrimination. The figures were included in a report published today by the Australian Human Rights Commission, Sharing the Stories of Australian Muslims. It found three in four (74%) Australian Muslims said they felt ‘Australian’, but one in four (23%) said ... -
Rights and Freedoms17 January 2019Media Release
Modern Slavery and Beyond
As the Federal Senate debates the Modern Slavery Bill this week, the 2018 Australian Dialogue on Business and Human Rights takes place in Sydney today with modern slavery prevention as the key theme. It’s the fifth time the Global Compact Network Australia and the Australian Human Rights Commission have joined forces to address the ongoing challenges facing business, government, civil society ... -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice8 May 2019Media Release
Wiyi Yani U Thangani (Women’s Voices) funding announcement welcomed
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner June Oscar AO has welcomed the announcement of new funding for the Wiyi Yani U Thangani (Women’s Voices) project. The Federal Minister for Indigenous Affairs Nigel Scullion today announced $1.7 million to support the second stage of the project, as part of the Fourth Action Plan of the National Plan to Reduce Violence Against ... -
Age Discrimination30 September 2019Media Release
International Day of Older Persons
The International Day of Older Persons is an opportunity to consider the contribution made by older Australian workers and the importance of creating age friendly workplaces. The percentage of Australians aged 65 and over in the labour force doubled between 2000 and 2015 - and 20% of people over 70 are still working. We need to continue this trend so individuals can contribute and continue to earn ... -
Sex Discrimination8 February 2023Media Release
Commission welcomes parliament’s codes of conduct and improved workplace safety
The codes set standards of conduct for parliamentarians, staffers, and all other employees in parliamentary workplaces. They were endorsed by the Senate this morning and debated in the House, which is expected to also endorse them soon.