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14 December 2012Book page
National Inquiry into Childen in Immigration Detention - Background Paper 1: Introduction
In November 2001, the Human Rights Commissioner announced an Inquiry into the adequacy and appropriateness of Australia's treatment of child asylum seekers and other children who are, or have been, held in immigration detention, including: -
Legal6 February 2014Submission
Judicial review of lawfulness of detention (2013)
The Australian Human Rights Commission provides this response to the questionnaire from the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention in relation to judicial review of the lawfulness of detention. -
Legal14 December 2012Webpage
Inquiry into national homelessness legislation (2009)
The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Family, Community, Housing and Youth shall inquire into and report on the content of homelessness legislation. -
14 December 2012Book page
Chapter 4: Beyond the Apology - an agenda for healing: Social Justice Report 2008
On 13 February 2008 Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, on behalf of the Australian Parliament, made a historic and long overdue national Apology to the Stolen Generations. With eloquence and emotion, Prime Minister Rudd said what so many Australians have wanted to say, and what so many Indigenous peoples have needed to hear: -
14 December 2012Book page
A Last Resort? - Summary Guide (2004)
It was established to consider whether Australia's immigration detention laws and its treatment of children in immigration detention comply with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. -
Rights and Freedoms1 May 2013Webpage
Freedom of thought, conscience and religion or belief
Learn how under human rights law, Australians are free to adopt a religion of their choice, individually or in community with others. -
Disability Rights14 December 2012Speech
Getting there: access to public transport
I am particularly pleased to join in opening this international conference on mobility and transport for elderly and disabled people and to be discussing accessible transport here in Western Australia. The Government of Western Australia deserves recognition for the commitment it is showing to making public transport accessible: a commitment adopted in principle, policy and plans and increasingly being delivered in practice. -
LGBTIQ+5 December 2016Speech
World AIDS Day breakfast: Hobart
Terrace Room, Best Western Hobart, 156 Bathurst St, Hobart Speaking notes CHECK AGAINST DEIVERY Acknowledgements: Muwinina [pron: ‘mou wee nee nar’] people TasCAHRD (who invited me to speak) Elders in the LGBTI community. Introduction 15 years ago, when I was an idealistic law student with lots of enthusiam and no grey hair, I went to South Africa with a vague desire to help in the newly ... -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice2 August 2023Webpage
The history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples advocating for the right to be heard
There is a long history of First Nations people advocating for the right to representation and participation in decisions that affect them. The events listed are a selection of moments in history when Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have taken action to call for large-scale change by Australian governments to realise their Indigenous rights, demonstrating the history leading to the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum. -
Rights and Freedoms14 December 2012Speech
DIALOGUE AUSTRALASIA NETWORK NATIONAL CONFERENCE
I would like to open today by reading you part of an e-mail that a work colleague of mine received recently from a young Australian woman in her early twenties, who recently completed her Bachelor of Communications degree from UTS in Sydney. As it happens she also holds Polish citizenship and is currently visiting her grandparents in Warsaw. -
14 December 2012Book page
Social Justice Report 2003: Chapter 2: Reconciliation and government accountability
In the Social Justice Report 1999, my first report as Social Justice Commissioner, I identified four key themes and challenges that existed in the approach of the federal government to Indigenous policy making at the time. These were moving beyond welfare dependency, accountability, participation and reconciliation.[1] Since the release of that report approximately four years ago, the key themes and challenges facing the government have remained relatively constant. -
14 December 2012Book page
Native Title Report 2002: Implications of Miriuwung Gajerrong & Wilson v Anderson
The reasoning of the High Court in Wilson v Anderson [1] and Miriuwung Gajerrong [2] provides a comprehensive analysis of the operation of the Native Title Act 1993 (Cwlth) (‘NTA’). It is detailed and legally complex. In discussing NSW crown land legislation, Justice Kirby made the following observation about the NTA and the native title system: -
14 December 2012Book page
HREOC Social Justice Report 2002: International developments in the recognition of the rights of Indigenous peoples
The circumstances of Indigenous peoples were virtually invisible at the United Nations approximately thirty years ago. Very little attention had been devoted to their situation and their claims were by and large unheard in international fora. Since the early 1970s, however, Indigenous peoples have made significant inroads towards the recognition of their rights and acceptance of their legitimate place within the international community. The results, while incomplete, have been nothing short of extraordinary. -
Rights and Freedoms14 December 2012Speech
"Armenia to Rwanda - Genocide in the 20th Century - Has humanity learnt anything?": Dr Sev Ozdowski OAM (2004)
In so doing however I am confronted with the classic dilemma of many, namely what fresh insight can I bring to bear on this subject that has not already been canvassed. -
14 December 2012Book page
Track the History - Us Taken-Away Kids: commemorating the 10th anniversary of the 'Bringing them home' report
This timeline focuses on one particular aspect of the history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples - the forcible removal of Indigenous children from their families. This material identifies some significant laws and practices that made removal lawful and includes writing and artwork from members of the Stolen Generations and their families which illustrate their experiences of these policies. This section uses as its primary resource Bringing them home, the report of the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from Their Families. -
Commission – General14 December 2012Speech
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The Annual Mitchell Oration is held as a tribute to Dame Roma’s lifelong efforts to improve the respect in Australia for human rights, and to counter discrimination experienced by many people, especially women, members of Indigenous communities, and of ethnic minorities. -
14 December 2012Book page
Native Title Report 2002: Introduction
The year under review in this, my fourth Native Title Report, is a year in which the High Court has handed down its decision in several significant native title cases thus elucidating the principles upon which the recognition and extinguishment of native title are determined. 2002 marks the end of a ten year period since the Mabo decision [1] first introduced the dual concepts of recognising and extinguishing native title. -
Legal14 December 2012Webpage
Submission to the Review of ATSIC
This submission is made by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner on behalf of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. [1] It responds to the public discussion paper titled 'Review of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission - June 2003'. -
Rights and Freedoms14 December 2012Speech
Access to education: a human right for every child: (2000)
Thank you, Megan McNichol, conference organisers and the Isolated Children's Parents' Association for inviting me to speak at your annual federal conference today. -
14 December 2012Book page
Native Title Report 2007: Chapter 12
Securing sustainable and just economic outcomes for Aboriginal traditional owners and residential communities in the remote regions of the Northern Territory has been an elusive goal for national and Territory governments, various public agencies and community groups for many years. The increasing value and intact environmental nature of much of the Indigenous estate across the North of Australia in a carbon trading context offers opportunities that could create sustainable on-country development for traditional owners in the region through new and exciting economies.