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Legal14 December 2012Webpage
Information concerning Australia and the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Recommendation 1: The Commission recommends that the Australian Government fully incorporate into Australian law its human rights obligations to children, including through the adoption of a federal Human Rights Act. -
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] -
Legal20 May 2022Webpage
Submission to Court as Intervener and Amicus Curiae
The Commission has the power to intervene, with leave of the Court, in proceedings that involve issues of race, sex and disability discrimination, human rights issues and equal opportunity in employment. The power to seek leave to intervene is contained in: -
Legal14 December 2012Webpage
CERD Index
This submission is prepared by Australia's national human rights institution, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC). It provides information in relation to the Australian Government's combined 13th and 14th periodic report under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD). All of the material contained in this document has previously been brought to the attention of the Australian government through a range of Commission publications and submissions. -
14 December 2012Book page
15. Religion, Culture & Language for Children in Immigration Detention
The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) requires Australia to protect children's rights to cultural identity, language and religion. The most effective way of ensuring enjoyment of these rights is to encourage and allow refugee and asylum-seeking children to participate in cultural and religious activities in the community. The Australian community is well equipped to respond to this need as a wide range of cultural and religious opportunities are readily accessible and this remains a key factor in the maintenance of our multicultural society. -
Business and Human Rights30 November 2022Speech
Executive discretion in a time of COVID-19
Responses to the COVID-19 pandemic have required very quick action by governments. But those responses have also involved significant limitations on people’s rights and freedoms, especially freedom of movement, and implemented through executive power often with limited parliamentary involvement. -
Rights and Freedoms13 May 2022Speech
Whither human rights and freedoms protections in Australia?
As I reflect on the past two years, it is clear that the pandemic has brought a renewed national focus on the importance of centralising considering rights and freedoms during times of crisis — a greater ‘rights consciousness’. -
14 December 2012Book page
Native Title Report 2010: Chapter 3: Consultation, cooperation, and free, prior and informed consent: The elements of meaningful and effective engagement
On 3 April 2009, the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (Minister for Indigenous Affairs) delivered a formal statement in support of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (Declaration).[1] In this statement, the Minister acknowledged that ‘[w]e need to find more ways of hearing Indigenous voices’.[2] -
Legal10 October 2017Submission
Information concerning Australia’s compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (2017)
This submission provides information concerning the civil and political rights of key population groups in Australia and other thematic issues engaging civil and political rights. In relation to each section, the Commission has referred to the relevant articles of the ICCPR engaged and (where appropriate) the relevant paragraph of the Committee’s list of issues prior to reporting dated 9 November 2012. -
14 December 2012Book page
Social Justice Report 2000: Chapter 4: Achieving meaningful reconciliation
This report identifies the necessity to adopt a human rights approach to reconciliation, as well as shortcomings in Australia's performance on human rights issues as they relate to Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders. This chapter emphasises processes and mechanisms that enable reconciliation to be implemented within a human rights framework. It identifies crucial commitments and processes that governments must engage in to progress meaningful reconciliation in the coming years. -
14 December 2012Book page
Social Justice Report 2004 : Chapter 3 : Implementing new arrangements for the administration of Indigenous affairs
Part 1: What are the new arrangements for the administration of Indigenous affairs? -
14 December 2012Book page
12. Education for Children in Immigration Detention
Just send my children to school, and let them be in freedom. They should live in a human good atmosphere, they should learn something good, and not the things they are learning here.(1) -
14 December 2012Book page
Social Justice Report 2006: Chapter 4: International developments on the rights of indigenous peoples – Closing the ‘protection gap’
In recent years there have been significant developments at the international level that impact upon the recognition and protection of the human rights of indigenous peoples. Most notably, there have been: i) reforms to the machinery of the United Nations (UN) and the emphasis given to human rights within that system; ii) the making of global commitments to action, through the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Second International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People; and iii) the further elaboration of human rights standards as they apply to indigenous peoples. -
14 December 2012Book page
Social Justice Report 2007 - Chapter 2: Indigenous communities dealing with family violence and abuse
Family violence and abuse occurs at unacceptable rates in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous) communities. We have heard many tragic stories of women, children and young people who have experienced devastating sexual abuse and family violence. It is a scourge that is causing damage and trauma among Indigenous communities, to our women and children, and to the fabric of Indigenous cultures. -
Legal14 December 2012Webpage
Inquiry into the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Act 1999 and Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (2009)
The Australian Human Rights Commission (the Commission)[1] welcomes the opportunity to make this Submission to the Australian Government Review of the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Act 1999 (Cth) (the EOWW Act) and the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (the EOWA). -
Legal17 June 2019Submission
Review of citizenship loss provisions in the Australian Citizenship Act 2007 (Cth)
The Commission urges reform of these citizenship loss provisions, and makes 11 recommendations to ameliorate the significant human rights concerns.