Refine results
-
Disability Rights
26 June 2017Opinion pieceHanson's comments remind us we still have a long way to go
As Disability Discrimination Commissioner, it is my job to promote and protect the rights of people with disability. So when a person who has been elected to represent the concerns and aspirations of the Australian people uses the floor of Parliament to suggest that students with disability should be denied their right to inclusive education, put simply, it hurts. Senator Hanson's comments in ... -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
8 December 2014Opinion pieceEngage with us, says Commissioner Gooda
It has been just over twelve months since Australia elected Tony Abbott as Prime Minister. It’s been a time of great expectations, anxieties and stress for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Australians. During the 2013 election campaign, Prime Minister Abbott pledged to be the nation’s first ‘Prime Minister for Aboriginal Affairs’. His commitment to achieve positive and practical change in the lives of ... -
LGBTIQ+
3 July 2018WebpageLGBTI children
Children born with intersex variations Intersex people are people born with variations in sex characteristics (including chromosomal variations, different physical responses to sex hormones, or different developmental hormone balances and anatomies). Intersex variations may be discovered at birth, during childhood or adolescence, in adulthood or not at all. People with intersex variations are at ... -
Sex Discrimination
31 July 2018Media ReleaseAustralian Universities audited one year on from the landmark Change the course report
The Australian Human Rights Commission has conducted an audit of Australian Universities , to coincide with the one year anniversary of the landmark Change the course report into sexual assault and sexual harassment at Australian universities. The Change the course report found one in five (21%) students reported experiencing sexual harassment in a university setting in 2016 and 1.6% of students ... -
LGBTIQ+
27 August 2015Opinion piece
Gays and Parents Both Have Rights
School should be a safe space for everyone to develop and learn. No ifs. No buts. Yesterday a media storm developed around the decision of Burwood Girls High School deciding to celebrate ‘Wear it Purple’ day and screening the film ‘Gayby Baby’. The two are quite distinct issues. Wear it Purple day is designed by school aged young people predominantly for school aged young people. Wearing purple is ... -
Children's Rights
25 September 2015Opinion pieceDomestic violence: $100 million funding raises hope in a week of tragedy
By Professor Gillian Triggs and Commissioner Megan Mitchell. We can no longer tolerate the loss of innocent lives, or allow children to be exposed to such horrific crimes. This week we have seen at least four lives tragically cut short at the hands of a partner or family member. Two of these victims were a mother and her unborn baby; the others a 12-year-old girl and a 17-month-old baby. That was ... -
Disability Rights
13 January 2016Opinion piece
Time to regulate housing accessibility
With the scale, complexity and massive costs of recent reforms in disability services and aged care, we need constant monitoring and patience as the changes are put into place. According to what I hear and see this is all happening pretty well, in general. There is however a big shortcoming, a gap that could undermine the potential success of both the NDIS and the Aged Care programs. Both of these ... -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
12 February 2018Media Release
Time to rebuild the structure of Closing the Gap
Australia is a long way short of closing the gap by 2030 and needs to rebuild the foundations of the strategy as a matter of urgency. The Close the Gap Campaign welcomes the news that there has been an improvement in several closing the gap targets, however, only meeting 3 out of 7 targets for such a critical national priority is no cause for celebration. Close the Gap Campaign Co-Chair and ... -
Children's Rights
13 March 2015Opinion piece
Children the victims of AMF’s anti-gay marriage advertisement
THE running of the Australian Marriage Forum (AMF) advertisement on television last weekend to coincide with the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade can only be described as pointless and cruel. This anti-same sex marriage message deliberately seeks to undermine the thousands of healthy gay parent child relationships in this country. The advertisement asks us to “think of the child”, stating ... -
Human Resources18 March 2015Webpage
Culture and Diversity
Learn about how the Commission supports a diverse and positive workplace culture knowing that diversity is a key element of any effective organisation. -
Commission – General
14 December 2012SpeechSpeeches by Professor Alice Tay, President, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
Speeches delivered by Professor Alice Tay President, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission: 1998 - 2003 Note: Professor Tay, term as President ended on 31 May 2003. The Hon. Catherine Branson was appointed President of the Australian Human Rights Commission on 7 August 2008 for five year term. Speeches delivered by Professor Tay during her term as President are available below. 2002 ... -
Rights and Freedoms
14 December 2012SpeechLaunch of Give Me Shelter: Dr Sev Ozdowski (2001)
Lord when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food or thirsty and gave you to drink; a stranger and we welcomed you, naked and clothed you, sick or in prison and we visited you? -
Commission – General
14 December 2012Opinion piece
The lives of far too many Australians are blighted by violence, harassment and bullying (2010)
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. -
Rights and Freedoms
14 December 2012Opinion piece
All people have a fundamental human right to seek asylum from persecution (2010)
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. -
Rights and Freedoms
14 December 2012Opinion piece
Everyone needs a safety net at some point in their lives (2009)
The Australian Human Rights Commission has this week lodged its submission with the National Human Rights Consultation, recommending that Australia implements a human rights act. -
Commission – General
14 December 2012Opinion piece
Take judges out of human rights process (2009)
Predictably, opponents of a human rights act reacted swiftly to Mr McHugh's comments, misrepresenting concerns about specific aspects of one model of a human rights act as a reason to reject any such act. -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
14 December 2012Opinion piece
Juvenile justice continues to focus on locking up kids rather than providing services that curb crime (2009)
RECENT announcements notwithstanding, there's no getting around the fact that young people in South Australia are being detained in overcrowded and outdated conditions in breach of Australia's human rights obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. -
Disability Rights
14 December 2012Opinion piece
Mental health problem is clear, so is the solution (2005)
THE LAUNCH this week of a new report on Australia 's crumbling mental health system repeats the message that mental health consumers, their carers and their clinicians have been shouting out for years - Australia 's mental health system is in crisis. -
Rights and Freedoms
14 December 2012Opinion piece
Human Rights and the War against Terrorism (2003)
"A system of tyranny, the most galling, the most horrible, the most undisguised in all its parts and attributes that has stained the page of history or disgraced the annals of the world." British Prime Minister William Pitt, 10 November 1797, speech to the House of Commons concerning France under the government of the Directory. -
Commission – General
14 December 2012Webpage
Chart of Australian Treaty Ratifications as of May 2012 - Human rights at your fingertips - Human rights at your fingertips
Human rights at your fingertips Back to Contents 1 Foreword 2 Chart of Australian Treaty Ratifications as of May 2012 3 Chart of related rights and articles in human rights instruments 4 Universal Declaration of Human Rights 5 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 6 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 7 International Convention on the Elimination of All ...