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Commission – General
14 December 2012SpeechHuman Rights - Refugees and Terrorists - What Rights?
It is a great pleasure to be speaking today with Judge Clifford Wallace. I had the pleasure of meeting him on several occasions at Judges' conferences in the Pacific. I was very sorry to miss him when he was in Adelaide in 2003. -
Rights and Freedoms
9 March 2023Media ReleaseCommission launches model for an Australian Human Rights Act
Australia is the only liberal democracy that does not have an act or charter of rights at the national level, and there are currently very few legal protections for the fundamental rights of Australians. -
Disability Rights
16 April 2024Webpage
Ambassador Profile - Jane Spring
Chair of the Disability Council NSW, IncludeAbility Ambassador Jane Spring talks about the professional lives for people with disability. -
Disability Rights
4 April 2024Webpage
Jane Spring
Learn about IncludeAbility Ambassador Jane Spring becoming T10 paraplegic and her journey to meaningful employment, enabling her to develop and grow her skills. -
Rights and Freedoms
19 November 2020Webpage
What are human rights?
Human rights are the ground rules for how we should treat one another: with dignity, respect, equality and fairness. -
Legal
14 December 2012WebpageFederal Discrimination Law 2005: Chapter 5: The Disability Discrimination Act
The DDA covers discrimination on the ground of disability, including discrimination because of the use of a therapeutic device or aid;1 accompaniment by a carer or assistant;2 or accompaniment by an assistance animal.3 -
Rights and Freedoms
14 December 2012Opinion piece
Stand on your rights, or see them trampled (2009)
Australia is a great country to live in — for most of us most of the time. We don’t suffer the terrible poverty witnessed in some parts of the world, our judicial system works well by international standards and most of us can vote in elections by secret ballot. Most of us can live pretty safely, say what we like most of the time and, if we are so inclined, practise our faith in peace. Most of us have access to decent education and health services. -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
7 July 2018Media ReleaseWiyi Yani U Thangani (Women's Voices) survey launched
The Social Justice Commissioner June Oscar AO is inviting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and girls to take part in the Wiyi Yani U Thangani (Women’s Voices) project, through a new online survey. The launch of the survey for Indigenous women and girls coincides with the start of NAIDOC Week, with the theme Because of Her We Can. “This year’s NAIDOC Week has rightly put the focus on our ... -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
14 December 2012Speech
2009 Speech: Bilingual Education
Good morning friends, supporters, Dr’s Peter Toyne and Lester-Irabinna Rigney and distinguished guests. I would also like to acknowledge my Indigenous sisters and brothers who have travelled here to be with us and to share your experiences and stories. -
14 December 2012Book page
Seminar on implementing the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT) (Nov 2009)
Catherine Branson welcomed guests, in particular international guests and acknowledged the traditional owners of the land. She thanked the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions for co-hosting the seminar. She acknowledged the importance of the right to be free from torture, and congratulated the Australian Government for recognising the rights of those deprived of their liberty by signing the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture (OPCAT). She noted that Australia faces challenges in implementing OPCAT, particularly due to its federal structure. -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
14 December 2012Opinion pieceSecurity rethink can protect refugee rights (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. -
Disability Rights
14 December 2012Speech
10th Anniversary of the Disability Discrimination Act
I'm sure that I'm not the only person with a disability who has experienced the lonely path of advocacy. As we find it necessary to advocate for our right to be able to read the same information as the rest of society, or to enter a building through the same door, or take a guide dog to the same restaurant, we can also find ourselves agreeing with the next line of the song, "two can be as bad as one". -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
14 December 2012Webpage
Reparations for the stolen generations - Government responds - Bob McMullan
I am pleased to be here today at the Moving Forward: Reparations for the Stolen Generation Conference. I have been following the Moving Forward project by the Public Interest Advocacy Centre, ATSIC and the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission closely and look forward to hearing the outcomes from this project. -
Rights and Freedoms
14 December 2012Speech
"The Content of an Australian Bill of Rights": DR SEV OZDOWSKI OAM (2002)
It is a pleasure to be able to address you today and I would first like to acknowledge the Gadigal people, the traditional custodians of the land on which we stand. -
Complaint Information Service29 January 2019Webpage
Information for advocates and lawyers participating in conciliation
The Commission values the positive role that advocates and lawyers can play in conciliation. Advocates and lawyers can provide important support to parties, assist parties understand and articulate how they see the law applies to a complaint and advise parties on possible options to resolve the complaint. Conciliators at the Commission decide whether it is appropriate for an advocate or lawyer to ... -
Disability Rights
20 August 2020Publication
The rights of people in health and disability care during COVID-19
These Guidelines are designed to ensure that human rights considerations inform the decisions made by health care and disability workers when supporting people with disability. -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
14 December 2012Speech
Human Rights and Reconciliation
Thank you to Andrea Durbach and the Australian Human Rights Centre for the invitation to speak tonight, and also to Amber Rowe for her organisation of this event. -
Rights and Freedoms
14 December 2012Speech
Speeches on Human Rights Issues
Speeches on Human Rights Issues [ Year: 2011 : 2009 : 2008 : 2007 : 2006 : 2005 : 2004 : 2003 : 2002 : 2001 : 2000 : 1999 : 1998 : 1997 : 1996 ] For more recent speeches: see the speeches of the President of the Australian Human Rights Commission On 12 July 2009, the President took on the additional role of Human Rights Commissioner. Click here for President's speeches . 2009 Developing a Culture ... -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
8 January 2014Publication
A last resort? National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention
This is an important report. It deals with our treatment of children in the most recent wave of boat people seeking refuge and a better life on our shores. It does so in the knowledge that there is a tension created by the community expectation that the Government will defend Australia's security while simultaneously upholding individual rights - the notion of the 'fairgo' for all. The report also challenges the argument that family unity within immigration detention centres is the only way that children's 'best interests' can be protected. -
14 December 2012Book page
HREOC Social Justice Report 2002: Chapter 3 - National progress towards reconcilation in 2002 - an equitable partnership?
a) A minimalist response to symbolic issues b) The perceived divisiveness of self-determination c) An emphasis on perceived areas of agreement d) Misrepresenting progress towards practical reconciliation