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The 2007-08 year has involved work on a wide range of human rights issues. This year we set ourselves the task of creating a significant human rights resource on the Human Rights web pages of the HREOC website.

This report covers my fourth year as the Acting Race Discrimination Commissioner at HREOC, a position I occupy in addition to my position as the aboriginal and torres Strait islander Social Justice Commissioner. During the period on which I report, Australia elected a new government, ending almost 12 years of a coalition government.

Submissions are invited on issues of Freedom of Religion and Belief in the 21st Century in Australia. In particular we are interested in your responses to any or all of the questions in the Discussion Paper, as well as any other issues of concern.

The strong, vibrant and committed Noongar peoples of the South West corner of Australia had their native title determination over Perth returned to square one. The Full Federal Court found that the first judge had made a number of errors in his decision and have sent the case back for consideration by a new judge, leaving the Noongar peoples uncertain about the future of their rights over the land. This is despite the Western Australian government openly acknowledging the Noongar peoples as the Traditional Owners of the land.

<h2>Building understanding and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms</h2> <p>We all have a responsibility to respect the rights and freedoms of others.</p> <p>To make this a reality, the Commission works to build greater understanding of human rights and their importance in daily life.</p> <p>This is one of our two key priorities for 2011-2014.</p> <p>We work with a broad range of groups across the country, providing community education and training initiatives that aim to show how human rights apply in everyday settings and relationships.</p>

<ul> <li><a href="#Heading87">2.1 Scope of international obligations </a></li> <li><a href="#Heading107">2.2 National framework </a></li> <li><a href="#Heading136">2.3 Equality before the law and non-discrimination </a></li> <li><a href="#Heading245">2.4 Migrants, refugees and asylum seekers </a></li> <li><a href="#Heading269">2.5 Right to life, liberty and security of the person </a></li> </ul> <h3><a name="_Toc280522956"></a><a name="Heading87"></a><span>2.1</span> Scope of international obligations</h3> <ol start="13"></ol>

This year marked the end of my nationwide Listening Tour and the beginning of what has been a busy but rewarding time in my term as Commissioner. I am delighted to report that it has been an exciting year for progressing gender and age equality in Australia. The Listening Tour played an important role in setting the agenda for my term. In deciding where the Commission should focus its efforts, I was guided by three questions that emerged from the Listening Tour

<ul> <li><a href="#Heading204">Right to freedom of expression</a></li> <li><a href="#Heading319">Right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion</a></li> <li><a href="#Heading407">Right to freedom of association</a></li> <li><a href="#Heading482">Property rights</a></li> </ul>

<p><em>The need for a long-term approach and bipartisan support across the political divide [for addressing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander disadvantage] was stressed by those attending consultations across Australia and in the hundreds of written submissions to the review. First Australians and those working with them are rightly cynical about new government reform and how long it will last. The fundamentals of the... Closing the Gap strategy have bipartisan support and give us solid ground to build on.</em><sup><a href="#fn172" name="fnB172">[171]</a></sup></p>