Refine results
-
Rights and Freedoms
1 May 2013WebpageFreedom from torture or cruel, degrading or inhuman treatment or punishment
Learn that under human rights law, no person shall be subjected to torture or subjected without free consent to medical or scientific experimentation. -
Legal
31 May 2016SpeechHotung Fellowship Public Lecture 2016
Human rights across the Tasman: a widening gulf. I am honoured to have been invited to give this lecture at the Law School of the University of Canterbury, funded by the generosity of the Sir Eric Hotung Fellowship. -
Legal
14 December 2012Webpage
Australia's compliance with the Convention Against Torture
Learn how Australia complies with the UN Committee Against Torture in areas such as immigration detention, prison conditions and victims of trafficking. -
14 December 2012Book page
7. Refugee Status Determination for Children in Immigration Detention
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that around half of the 50 million displaced persons in the world are children. Around 10 million of these children are under the care of UNHCR. Approximately 100,000 separated children roam Western Europe.(1) During 1999 alone, more than 20,000 separated children applied for asylum in Western Europe, North America or Australia.(2) Of those 20,000 unaccompanied children, 46 travelled to Australia to seek asylum. In the same year a further 202 children sought asylum in Australia with their families.(3) -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
14 December 2012SpeechSite navigation
We are on Aboriginal land – and as a mark of respect to the traditional owners of this country – I want to recognise their culture and their law because they are integral to what we now call Coogee. -
Rights and Freedoms
29 May 2024Opinion piece
In silence, anti-Semitism and racism flourishes
This opinion piece by Human Rights Commissioner Lorraine Finlay appeared in The Nightly on Wednesday 27 March 2024. The foundation of universal human rights lies in recognising the inherent dignity and equal rights of every single human being. Human rights can’t be applied selectively. Every Australian, regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion, or any other distinction, has the right ... -
Disability Rights
14 December 2012SpeechAustralian Association of the Deaf National Conference
I think it's always good manners to make this acknowledgment. But at a Deaf community event it's also an important reminder that the rate of deafness and hearing impairment in some indigenous communities - over 30% - is even higher than it is throughout the community as a whole. -
Race Discrimination
23 July 2015Opinion pieceForty years of the Racial Discrimination Act
In October 1975, at a ceremony for the proclamation of the Racial Discrimination Act, then Prime Minister Gough Whitlam described the legislation as ‘a historic measure’, which aimed to ‘entrench new attitudes of tolerance and understanding in the hearts and minds of the people’.(1) The Act was Australia’s first federal human rights and discrimination law. Enacted shortly after the formal ... -
14 December 2012Book page
HREOC Annual Report 2003-2004 : Chapter 9: Race Discrimination
Over the past year increasing trends of prejudice and harassment of particular groups in our community has continued to be an area of significant concern for me. As noted in the 2002-03 annual report, I launched the Isma project in March 2003 in response to increasing concerns expressed by Arab and Muslim organisations about the rise in anti-Arab and anti-Muslim prejudice in Australia. -
Disability Rights
14 December 2012Webpage
Draft Commission Advisory Note on education under the DDA
Introduction Draft standards reflect existing DDA obligations Use of the draft standards in compliance activity Use of the draft standards in developing Action Plans Complaint handling Use by students and families Exemption applications -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
14 December 2012Opinion piece
Native title reform could go closer to fulfilling Mabo's legacy (2012)
The following opinion pieces have been published by the President and Commissioners. Reproduction of the opinion pieces must include reference to where the opinion piece was originally published. -
Rights and Freedoms
14 December 2012Opinion piece
Bill of rights is essential to best serve human rights (2008)
Five years ago I began my term as the President of the Australian Human Rights Commission, confident in the ability of the common law and a robust democracy to protect human rights. I leave convinced we need a major legal and cultural overhaul in order to deal with the human rights challenges of the 21st century. -
Rights and Freedoms
14 December 2012Opinion piece
A last resort? Children in Immigration Detention (2004)
Four weeks ago today, a report was tabled in Federal Parliament that detailed numerous and repeated breaches of the human rights of children in our detention centres. -
14 December 2012Book page
Human Rights Publications
Reports on complaints of discrimination on the grounds of sexual preference, criminal record and trade union activity are available on our discrimination in employment and occupation page. -
Rights and Freedoms
7 April 2013Opinion piece
Tweaking the draft bill could preserve core reforms
The proposed anti-discrimination law has critics, but it delivers a balanced package. If the release of the exposure draft of the Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Bill 2012 was intended to stimulate public discussion about an important reform initiative, it has clearly done what it set out to do. -
Rights and Freedoms
24 April 2015Publication
Australia’s Second Universal Periodic Review
Submission by the Australian Human Rights Commission under the Universal Periodic Review -
Rights and Freedoms
1 May 2013Webpage
Rights to equality and non discrimination
Back to Rights and freedoms: right by right Introduction | What are Australia's obligations ? | What does discrimination mean ? | What grounds of discrimination are covered ? | International scrutiny | Commission work | More information | Comments Introduction Non-discrimination and equality rights are central features of the major human rights treaties. Rights of equality and non-discrimination ... -
Legal
14 December 2012Webpage
Inquiry into hearing health in Australia (2009)
This submission is based on research conducted by the Commission into hearing impairment and deafness in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in 2009. The submission therefore focuses exclusively on hearing health in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. The Commission only commenced this research recently but it is expected to be completed by December 2009. -
Disability Rights
5 August 2020News story
Good disability policy benefits everyone
The necessary restrictions that have been imposed on all of us during the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted the challenges faced by Australians with disability, and the need for comprehensive and rigorously implemented disability policy. Australia’s disability policy should have the flexibility to respond to disasters with an inherent understanding of human rights. Framework for disability policy ... -
Age Discrimination
20 December 2023SubmissionAustralia Post Services Modernisation
The Australian Human Rights Commission provided this submission to the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts (the Department) regarding the modernisation of Australian postal services. The Commission did this in response to the ‘ Postal Services Modernisation: Discussion Paper ’. While recognising the need for modernisation of postal services ...