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Indigenous children throughout Australia remain very significantly over-represented `in care' and in contact with welfare authorities. Their over-representation increases as the intervention becomes more coercive, with the greatest over-representation being in out-of-home care. Indigenous children appear to be particularly over-represented in long-term foster care arrangements. A high percentage of Indigenous children in long-term foster care live with non-Indigenous carers.

As this is the first public speech I have made in Sydney since the events at Redfern several weeks ago, I would also like to begin today by paying my respects to the family of TJ Hickey and to express my condolences for your loss. I would also like to acknowledge the elders of the Redfern community for the strength and the dignity that you have displayed in dealing with these tragic events and their aftermath.

The same-sex partner of a federal government employee is denied access to certain superannuation and workers’ compensation death benefits available to an opposite-sex partner.

Media Pack Homepage Statements by Dr Sev Ozdowski, Human Rights Commissioner (Audio Files for Download) Inquiry Commissioner and Assistants Biographies About the Inquiry Inquiry Methodology Terms of Reference Useful Links and Resources

The meeting was attended by 11 students most of whom were members of Sydney University Arab Students Association (SUASA) or Sydney University Muslim Students Association at Sydney University (SUMSA) or both. The meeting was organised and chaired by Rawan Abdul-Nabi, SUASA President, and facilitated by Omeima Sukkarieh (notes) from HREOC.

[1] Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, ‘Cape York Welfare Reform Trial to begin’ (Media Release, 1 July 2008). At http://www.jennymacklin.fahcsia.gov.au/internet/jennymacklin.nsf/content/cape_york_welfare_1jul08.htm (viewed 28 July 2008).

This submission addresses some of the issues and questions raised in the background papers prepared by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) and in relation to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) and the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (1951) and its 1967 Protocol (the Refugee Convention). The conclusions drawn in this submission arise out of the experiences of staff and members of the Uniting Church in Australia. We do acknowledge that the evidence presented here is therefore anecdotal.

Australia is a wealthy nation. In 2003, Australia ranked fourth in the United Nations Human Development Index (1) indicating Australians enjoyed one of the highest qualities of life in the world. Overall, Australia ranks equal fourth with the highest life expectancy at birth (79.0 years) suggesting Australians are among the healthiest people in the world. (2)