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Children's Rights
10 July 2024Media ReleaseIneffective approaches to child justice creating more problems than they solve
The policies being promoted in the Queensland election campaign to address offending by children have been criticised by National Children’s Commissioner, Anne Hollonds and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Katie Kiss as a “race to the bottom”. -
Commission – General
7 June 2024Media ReleaseHundreds of advocates support push for Australian Human Rights Act
More than 700 human rights advocates from across Australia, including more than 60 eminent experts, have called on the Federal Government to introduce a Human Rights Act at a major national conference in Sydney today. Buoyed by last week’s Parliamentary Joint Committee On Human Rights recommendations, delegates at the two-day Free + Equal Human Rights Conference pledged their support for the ... -
Children's Rights
26 June 2019Speech
Speech to NSW & ACT Professional Standards Network
A speech by Megan Mitchell covering The Royal Commission’s recommendations, the connection between those recommendations and the National Principles, work we’re doing at the Australian Human Rights Commission in the Child Safe Organisations project, how religious organisations can implement the National Principles, government responses to the Royal Commission’s recommendations and recent developments at the national level. -
Rights and Freedoms
17 January 2019SpeechAlice Tay Lecture in Law and Human Rights 2018 - ‘Rights-mindedness’
‘Rights-mindedness’ — making human rights real in public service and community understanding 70 years after the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Alice Tay Lecture in Law and Human Rights 2018 Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM President, Australian Human Rights Commission Sir Roland Wilson Building Canberra 25 September 2018 Abstract A key function of the Australian Human ... -
Commission – General
24 November 2021News story
Commission announces 2021 Human Rights Awards finalists
Every year the Commission holds the Human Rights Awards to celebrate human rights achievements. It is a chance to acknowledge, congratulate and share the important work of organisations, businesses, and individuals across the nation. -
Age Discrimination
1 March 2021Media ReleaseStatement on the Aged Care Royal Commission report
The Australian Human Rights Commission welcomes the publication of the final report of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. Following the findings and recommendations in the report, released today, the Commission would like to see the human rights of older people embedded in the planning, provision and monitoring of aged care services in Australia. “Older people have the same ... -
Children's Rights
19 April 2021Media Release
Governments must prioritise raising the age
National Children’s Commissioner, Anne Hollonds and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, June Oscar AO have urged all Australian governments to raise the age of criminal responsibility as a matter of priority. A report commissioned by a meeting of Attorneys-General in July last year recommended that all jurisdictions raise the age and ensure younger teenagers are not ... -
Age Discrimination
13 September 2021News story
New research finds ageism is the most accepted form of prejudice in Australia
A new report released today by the Australian Human Rights Commission has found most Australians (90%) agree ageism exists in Australia, with 83% agreeing ageism is a problem and 65% saying it affects people of all ages. -
Rights and Freedoms
24 October 2022Media Release
Human Rights Commission calls for urgent action to address fallout from suspension of UN SPT visit
The Australian Human Rights Commission is urging all Australian state and territory governments to fully commit to implementing an important human rights framework for people held in detention settings following the suspension of a tour of Australia by United Nations inspectors. A delegation from the UN Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture (UN SPT) has been in Australia since last week to ... -
Sex Discrimination
2 November 2022Media ReleaseSupport for workplaces to prevent and address sexual harassment
The Respect@Work Council, chaired by National Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins, has launched a new website that will help employers prevent and respond to sexual harassment, and will support them to create gender inclusive, safe, and respectful workplaces. -
Race Discrimination
7 November 2022Media ReleaseAttorney-General commits Government to anti-racism strategy in Kep Enderby Memorial Lecture
“Australia’s continued success as a multicultural nation must include an ongoing commitment to addressing racism,” the Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said. -
Children's Rights
15 November 2022News story
Governments must urgently address youth justice crisis
The Australian Human Rights Commission calls on all Australian governments to urgently address the national crisis in youth justice to prevent further harm to children in detention, and to reduce youth offending through effective systems of support. -
Rights and Freedoms
7 December 2023Media Release
Report tabled: Revitalising Australia’s commitment to human rights
Commonwealth Attorney-General, the Hon Mark Dreyfus KC MP has tabled a report by the Australian Human Rights Commission that calls for a renewed National Human Rights Framework and National Human Rights Act to better protect the rights of all people in Australia. The report, Revitalising Australia’s commitment to human rights , provides 12 recommendations to improve government accountability ... -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
4 April 2023PublicationAustralia’s international obligations
Australia is obliged under international law to protect the human rights of all asylum seekers and refugees, regardless of how or where they arrive. -
Age Discrimination
26 April 2023Media Release
State AG inaction enables power-of-attorney parasites: Commissioner
Australia’s Age Discrimination Commissioner says thousands of older Australians are being robbed and cheated out of millions of dollars every year because of a dysfunctional enduring power-of-attorney (EPOA) framework. The Commissioner is calling on state and territory Attorneys-General to commit to fixing the problem at the Standing Council of Attorneys-General meeting in Darwin this week. An ... -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
8 May 2023Media ReleaseLandmark Summit to elevate the voices and transform the lives of First Nations women and girls
Australia’s most significant gathering ever of First Nations women begins in Canberra today. The Summit is designed for First Nations women to speak on their own terms to government, policymakers and service providers about addressing issues affecting First Nations women and girls. Together, they will put forward the actions to reshape many of the policies and programs that impact their lives and ... -
Age Discrimination
30 September 2021News story
New campaign on the warning signs of elder abuse
A new campaign to raise awareness of elder abuse has been launched by the Australian Human Rights Commission to mark the International Day of Older Persons (1 October 2021). -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
20 March 2024Media Release
Commission celebrates official launch of the Wiyi Yani U Thangani Institute
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner June Oscar AO has launched a dedicated Institute to elevate the voices and solutions of First Nations women and girls – the Wiyi Yani U Thangani Institute for First Nations gender justice. The Australian-first Institute, housed at the Australian National University (ANU) on Ngunnawal and Ngambri Country, ensures the continuation of ... -
Rights and Freedoms
30 May 2024Media Release
Government must seize the moment for a National Human Rights Act
A new parliamentary report recommending a National Human Rights Act as part of a revitalised Human Rights Framework brings Australia closer than ever before to establishing the basic legal protections that Australians need. The report, tabled in Federal Parliament today, includes an example of legislation for a National Human Rights Act, building on decades of work and reinforcing recommendations ... -
Rights and Freedoms
29 July 2021Webpage
Face masks and federal discrimination law
At various times during the COVID-19 pandemic, state and territory governments in Australia have made it a requirement for people to wear a face mask in certain settings. The different rules and exemptions around face masks are set out in the relevant state and territory public health orders. The latest mask-wearing requirements can be found on the appropriate state and territory government websites