Search results

The Senate Legal and Constitutional References Committee conducted an inquiry this year into the federal government's implementation of recommendations made by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission in Bringing them home. The inquiry considered proposals for the establishment of an alternative dispute resolution tribunal for members of the stolen generations; and considered the consistency of the government's response to the recommendations with the reconciliation process and the aspirations and needs of members of the stolen generations.

DR OZDOWSKI: This is one of a series of hearings to be conducted around Australia. My name is Dr Sev Ozdowski and I am the Human Rights Commissioner and I am assisted in the Inquiry by two colleagues of mine, Mrs Robin Sullivan who is to the left of me, the Queensland Children's Commissioner. To the right of me is Dr Trang Thomas who is a Professor of Psychology at Melbourne Institute of Technology. Also at the table is sitting Ms Vanessa Lesnie who is Secretary to the Inquiry.

It is with great pleasure that I present my first Social Justice Report (the Report) as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, having commenced my five-year term on 1 February 2010.

1) Background to Hotham's work with asylum seekers 2) Asylum Seekers in the Community 3) Addressing the needs of asylum seekers in the community 4) The transition from detention to the community 5) Positive Outcomes 6) Appendix 1: General Community Release Issues 7) Appendix 2: Summary of the Swedish Model of Detention

Thank you for the opportunity to address an issue, which I believe, is another stain on Australian history. The systematic neglect and abuse of children in our IDCs is shameful and must end. It is intolerable that our senior politicians claim that a simple majority gives them the mandate to practise policies that ignore established standards for the care and nurturing of children.

Plain English guide to the Racial Hatred Act, which extends the coverage of the Racial Discrimination Act (RDA) to address racially offensive or abusive behaviour.

This will be how we assess the success or otherwise of the reconciliation process in years to come. The reconciliation process has the potential to be as significant, and difficult, as the process that led to the joining together of the states into one indissoluble federation in 1901. It challenges us to adapt the structures of society in ways that ensure that first nation peoples can participate fully, be welcomed and have our cultures respected. Integral to this process is an acknowledgement of the wrongs of the past and an acceptance of the need for a restructured relationship.

I am writing in response to the Summary of HREOC's Observations following your Inspection of Mainland Immigration Detention Facilities in 2007. We welcome your observations and recommendations which will further enhance our ability to deliver a consistently high level of service to the clients in our care. It is particularly pleasing to note that the favourable comments which you made in 2006 regarding our staff's approach and attitude remained evident in 2007.

Why do I love HREOC? Well, I was there at the birth. I watched the Commission grow and accept new challenges every year. Australians used to be blind to the inequalities of women, to injustice to Aboriginals and other indigenous peoples, to Asian Australians, to gays and other sexual minorities, to people with disabilities and many others. If our eyes have been opened, we should be grateful to HREOC. In a real sense, it has been a conscience of our country: speaking out when others were silent. The Hon. Justice Michael Kirby AC CMG, Justice of the High Court of Australia