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14 December 2012Book page
Human Rights 21: Going to the heart of the matter: national inquiries
In today's world, with an increasing focus on greed and building individual wealth, advocacy for the human rights agenda couldn’t be more important. Over the years, HREOC has produced outstanding reports, like Bringing them home, with important recommendations. To fail to act on those recommendations diminishes Australia as a nation, and all of us as individuals. -
Rights and Freedoms4 March 2023Publication
A National Human Rights Act for Australia
Australia is the only liberal democracy in the world that does not have a national act or charter of rights that explains what people’s basic rights are and how they can be protected. -
Disability Rights3 May 2019Video
RightsTalk with Nujeen Mustafa and Shantha Rau Barriga
On Monday 8 April 2019, refugee and disability rights activists Nujeen Mustafa and Shantha Rau Barriga joined Human Rights Commissioner Edward Santow at another of our popular RightsTalk events, hosted in partnership with Human Rights Watch. > Click to read more about this event. -
Legal14 December 2012Webpage
Notice of temporary exemption application: Airnorth Exemption application
The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission has received, by letter dated 15 April 2003, an application for temporary exemption under section 55 of the DDA regarding carriage of passengers with disabilities on low capacity aircraft, for a period of five years. -
Commission – General14 December 2012Speech
Creating Fairness and Equality in the Workplace
It is now 12 months since the introduction of WorkChoices radically restructured Australia’s industrial relations system. Today, I propose to reflect on the implications of WorkChoices for the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) and to outline reforms HREOC believes are necessary to safeguard fairness and equality in the workplace. -
Disability Rights14 December 2012Speech
World Mental Health Day Address
Thank you for the opportunity to speak here today, World Mental Health Day. I am very pleased that World Mental Health Day this year is dedicated to the theme Human Rights and Mental Health. This theme recognises that mental health issues are human rights issues - a view argued strongly and consistently by our Human Rights Commission for many years. -
17 September 2013Book page
Who we are
<p>The role of the Australian Human Rights Commission is to see that human rights and fundamental freedoms are understood and respected in law, policy and practice. The Commission is independent from government, with a legislative mandate, and recognised internationally as an ‘A Status’ National Human Rights Institution. We strive to resolve complaints, encourage positive law reform and build a shared awareness and recognition of freedoms and rights throughout Australia.</p> -
17 September 2013Book page
Who we are
<p>The role of the Australian Human Rights Commission is to see that human rights and fundamental freedoms are understood and respected in law, policy and practice. The Commission is independent from government, with a legislative mandate, and recognised internationally as an ‘A Status’ National Human Rights Institution. We strive to resolve complaints, encourage positive law reform and build a shared awareness and recognition of freedoms and rights throughout Australia.</p> -
Age Discrimination14 December 2012Speech
Tackling Age Discrimination in the Labour Market: the role of the Australian Human Rights Commission (2011)
I start by acknowledging the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation, the traditional owners of the land upon which we meet. I pay my respects to their elders, both past and present. -
Legal14 December 2012Webpage
Opening statement to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee inquiry into the NTER (Stronger Futures) Bills (2012)
Thank you Madame Chair for the opportunity to appear before the Committee as representatives of the Australian Human Rights Commission. We have provided a detailed submission with 33 recommendations relating to the Bills and also to their implementation. -
Commission – General6 March 2013Speech
Asylum Seekers, Marriage Equality and Racial Vilification: What role for the AHRC? (2012)
Speech delivered to the Anglo-Australasian Lawyers Society -
Sex Discrimination14 December 2012Speech
Deacon’s lawyers seminar on women and workplace issues
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice14 December 2012Speech
2009 Speech: Launch of Social Justice and Native Title Reports 2008
I begin by paying my respects to the Gadigal peoples of the Eora nation, the traditional owners of the land where we gather today. pay my respects to your elders, to the ancestors and to those who have come before us. And thank you, Allen Madden, for your generous welcome to country for all of us. -
Rights and Freedoms11 March 2015Opinion piece
Is freedom under pressure globally?
<p>Behind human rights is the still revolutionary idea that every human being is free and equal, that individuals own their own bodies and should be free to pursue their lives, opportunities and enterprise. Human rights provide the foundation for our liberal democracy, our market economy and our civil society.<br></p> -
Commission – General14 December 2012Speech
President Speech: Flinders University Law School Prize Giving Ceremony 2010
First, may I acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, the Gadigal people of the Eora nation, and pay my respects to their elders, both past and present. -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice14 December 2012Speech
Let the healing begin
Prime Minister, the Hon Kevin Rudd; Opposition Leader, Brendan Nelson; the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, the Hon Jenny Macklin; former Prime Ministers, Professor Bruce Wilson representing the late Sir Ronald Wilson, Stolen Generations patrons Dr Lowitja O’Donoghue and Bobby Randall, NSDC Chair Helen Moran and SGA Chair Christine King, Ministers; Members of Parliament; Senators, members of the stolen generations and your families; my Indigenous brothers and sisters; and distinguished guests from around Australia and overseas. -
Commission – General14 December 2012Speech
Human Rights Education for Life
Thank you for inviting me here today, to speak about a topic which in my view receives too little attention yet is one of critical importance not only to the way we live but to the kind of society we live in – the topic of human rights education. -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice14 December 2012Speech
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I would like to start today by acknowledging the Gimuy Walubara Yidinji people on whose land we are on today and pay my respect to your elders both past and present. -
Disability Rights14 December 2012Speech
The DDA and employment of people with a disability
The standard sort of speech that is often delivered by people in my sort of position at this sort of event is a combination of pep talk and pamphlet, with some bits of a law lecture thrown in: telling people with a disability and their advocates that they have rights under discrimination law, and telling employers that they have responsibilities, and attempting to set out the terms and the effect of the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act (or "DDA"). -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice14 December 2012Speech
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Tom Calma, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner and acting Race Discrimination Commissioner, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission