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14 December 2012Book page
Native Title Report 2008 - Case Study 1
Imagine the sea rising around you as your country literally disappears beneath your feet, where the food you grow and the water you drink is being destroyed by salt, and your last chance is to seek refuge in other lands...[1] -
14 December 2012Book page
Native Title Report 2008 - Case Study 2
The landscape of the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB) is under severe ecological stress. Issues such as salinity, poor water quality, stressed forests, dried wetlands, threatened native species, feral animals and noxious weeds are commonplace within the MDB. The reasons for this dramatic decline in river health are caused by water mismanagement including reversal of natural flow cycles and over… -
Rights and Freedoms
14 March 2024SpeechThe Perils of Independence
The Australian Human Rights Commission’s role in protecting human rights in Australia Sir Ronald Wilson Lecture 2021 Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM President, Australian Human Rights Commission Acknowledgements Thank you Matthew McGuire for your welcome to country and Kendra Turner as MC. I am speaking from the traditional lands of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation, in the city… -
15 July 2014Book page
Chapter 5: Business and our human rights in the Declaration
5.1 Introduction The significant role of business to respect and support our human rights is increasingly being recognised. Although the protection of human rights remains the responsibility of government, business is realising that human rights are both relevant and fundamental to their operations. In many of the conversations I have had with business and community leaders across the… -
14 December 2012Book page
Native Title Report 2003 : Chapter 4: Native Title and Agreement Making : a Comparative Study
The failure in Australia to perceive native title and land rights as the basis on which to address Indigenous economic and social development has been evident at legal, policy and administrative levels. Legally, the increasingly narrow interpretation of native title by the High Court has, as Noel Pearson has pointed out, stripped native title of much economic meaning or benefit. -
14 December 2012Book page
Chapter 4 - Introduction: Social Justice Report 2009
Homelands still belong to the people, we want to build homes on our land and live there. When we come to the homeland we come back to the peace and quiet. ... It is a much better environment on the homelands, better things for the children.[1] -
14 December 2012Book page
Social Justice Report 2007 - Chapter 2: Indigenous communities dealing with family violence and abuse
Family violence and abuse occurs at unacceptable rates in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous) communities. We have heard many tragic stories of women, children and young people who have experienced devastating sexual abuse and family violence. It is a scourge that is causing damage and trauma among Indigenous communities, to our women and children, and to the fabric of Indigenous… -
14 December 2012Book page
Social Justice Report 2005 :
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) was established in 1990 by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission Act 1989 (Cth). The Act made provisions for the establishment of 35 representative Regional Councils on behalf of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Australia. -
14 December 2012Book page
Social Justice Report 2003: Chapter 3: Indigenous participation in decision making – Transforming the relationship between government and Indigenous peoples
The twin pillars of the government's approach to Indigenous policy in 2003 continued to be practical reconciliation, with its emphasis on service delivery in core areas of disadvantage, and mutual obligation, with its emphasis on reciprocity and individual responsibility. Through both of these policies, the government has identified moving Indigenous people beyond welfare dependency and enabling… -
14 December 2012Book page
HREOC - Annual Report 2001 - 2002: Chapter 7: Race Discrimination
Dr William Jonas commenced duty as acting Race Discrimination Commissioner in September 1999 in addition to his duties as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner. -
14 December 2012Book page
Chapter 3 - Introduction: Social Justice Report 2009
When I commenced writing this chapter in 2008, Australia did not have a national Indigenous languages policy. However in August 2009, for the first time in Australia’s history, the Commonwealth Government launched a strategy for preserving Indigenous languages: Indigenous Languages - A National Approach 2009 (National Approach). The National Approach sets out the Commonwealth Government&… -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
1 March 2016PublicationToomelah Report (1988)
The Toomelah community of five hundred Aboriginal people endures appalling living conditions which amount to a denial to them of the most basic rights taken for granted by most other groups in society, and by other Australian communities of similar size. Their houses are substandard and overcrowded, actually contributing to a range of diseases. The community has for decades lived without an… -
14 December 2012Book page
Native Title Report 2006: Chapter 7: The Yarrabah Housing Project
Underpinning the Government’s partnerships approach to Indigenous policy is the belief that economic development is the key to sustainable improvement in the quality of life of residents of Indigenous communities.1 -
14 December 2012Book page
Chapter 3: Remote Indigenous education: Social Justice Report 2008
...education is the engine room of prosperity and helps create a fairer, more productive society. It is the most effective way we know, to build prosperity and spread opportunity...[1] -
14 December 2012Book page
Social Justice Report 2007 - Appendix 2
To develop a nationwide picture of existing government initiatives that address family violence, the Social Justice Commissioner sent correspondence to all State, Territory and relevant Australian government departments[1] requesting information on their policies and programs during the period 2006-2007. -
14 December 2012Book page
Native Title Report 2006: Executive summary
This is my third Native Title Report as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner. This year I continue the theme from my previous Reports by focusing on land tenure and economic reform on Indigenous communal lands.1 -
14 December 2012Book page
Native Title Report 2011: Chapter 1: Reviewing key developments in the Reporting Period
In this Chapter I review key developments within the native title system that occurred throughout the Reporting Period (1 July 2010 to 30 June 2011) and consider the impact of these events on the exercise and enjoyment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ human rights. -
14 December 2012Book page
Native Title Report 2011: Chapter 4: Options for addressing lateral violence in native title
This Chapter considers options for addressing lateral violence in environments that concern our lands, territories and resources. Although this is the beginning of the conversation, the Chapter aims to give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities some ideas about how to address lateral violence through the establishment of strong structural foundations and principles. It… -
14 December 2012Book page
Native Title Report 2005 : Chapter 3 : The economic logic of the NIC Principles and economic development on Indigenous lands
As my predecessor pointed out in the Native Title Report 2003, native title is a political process as well as a legal process. Indigenous people enter a relationship with the State on the basis of their identity as the traditional owner group of an area of land. In some cases native title has provided the first opportunity since colonisation for a relationship of this type to be formed. -
14 December 2012Book page
Social Justice Report 2005: Chapter 3
The first twelve months of the federal government's new arrangements for the administration of Indigenous affairs has ended. The primary focus of this period has been on abolishing the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) and creating new processes to engage with local Indigenous communities and coordinate mainstream delivery of services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait…