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8 December 2020Book page
Part 1: Our women and girls' voices
Discover a national conversation on how to promote the human rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and girls and their communities. -
Legal17 May 2023Speech
Access to justice
Your Honours, distinguished guests: I acknowledge the traditional owners of the land, the Wurrindjeri people of the Kulin nation and pay my respects to their elders, especially to those elders present today. May also thank our host the Hon Justice Mordy Bromberg and the ICJ for inviting me to this, the ninth Community Opening of the Legal Year. Together we celebrate the partnership of the legal ... -
15 July 2014Book page
Chapter 1: How far have we come? Looking back on 20 years of the Social Justice Commissioner role
1.1 Introduction This year marks 20 years since the establishment of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner (Social Justice Commissioner) role under the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth). When I first started in this position I was asked if any of the previous Commissioners had left any words or notes of advice. I answered them ‘no, but they all left ... -
Legal14 December 2012Webpage
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights – List of issues prior to reporting
This submission is made by the Australian Human Rights Commission, Australia’s national human rights institution. It outlines a number of issues that the Commission suggests should be considered by the Human Rights Committee as it develops a List of Issues Prior to Reporting ahead of Australia’s preparation of its sixth periodic report regarding the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). -
14 December 2012Book page
Chapter 3: A human rights-based approach to lateral violence - Social Justice Report 2011
When we look at the many issues that face Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, it is easy to get paralysed by their complexity, entrenched nature and the sheer size of the challenge. But as an optimist, I believe that there is a lot that we can do to address these problems. There are many different tools available to suit the varying circumstances that face our diverse communities. Lateral violence is no different. -
Legal15 August 2016Submission
Information for List of Issues Prior to Reporting - Australia: Submission to Committee Against Torture (2016)
SUBMISSION BY THE AUSTRALIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION Information for List of Issues Prior to Reporting - Australia 27 June 2016 Contents 1. Introduction 2. National Human Rights Institution 3. Ratification of OPCAT 4. Scrutiny of human rights and role of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights 5. Violence against women and children 6. Trafficking in persons 7. Criminal Justice System 7.1 ... -
14 December 2012Book page
Chapter 2: Lateral violence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities - Social Justice Report 2011
Last year I set out my priorities for my term as Social Justice Commissioner.[1] My priorities revolve around the central idea that to address the disadvantage faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and build a more reconciled nation, we need to develop stronger and deeper relationships: -
14 December 2012Book page
Chapter 3: From community crisis to community control in the Fitzroy Valley - Social Justice Report 2010
It is a story of colonisation; the threat of losing our cultural authority to manage our societies; and the despair that has come from that disempowerment. It is a story of grief and trauma and the continued pain of living with grog, drug and violence. -
Legal14 December 2012Webpage
SAGE: Submission to Inquiry into Aboriginal Customary Law in NT
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner has also made a submission to this inquiry. To access that submission click here. -
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 Islander peoples. Twelve months on, the new arrangements remain in a transitional phase. It will be a number of years before they are fully locked into place. -
Legal14 December 2012Webpage
Native Title Amendment (Reform) Bill 2011
Recommendation 2: The Committee recommend the Australian Government commission an independent inquiry to review the operation of the native title system and explore options for native title law reform, with a view to aligning the system with international human rights standards, including the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. -
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
Justice: African Australians - Compendium (2010)
While feedback in relation to the legal system was actively sought throughout all of the consultations, a number of targeted consultation sessions with individuals and organisations specifically involved or engaged in the legal system were also undertaken. These included: -
14 December 2012Book page
Native Title Report 2008 - Chapter 1
In November 2007, Australia elected a new federal government. With the new government came new policies aimed at improving Aboriginal’s and Torres Strait Islander’s social and economic situation. In the new government’s National Platform and Constitution[1], the Australian Labor Party stated that it: -
14 December 2012Book page
Native Title Report 2008 - Appendix 4
The following international instruments[1] have been placed in tables according to topic area. Note, however, that many of the instruments are relevant to several topic areas. Clauses marked * are relevant to Indigenous knowledge’s. -
Commission – General14 December 2012Webpage
Links to Human Rights Organisations and Resources
This website contains links to other websites that are external to the Australian Human Rights Commission. The Commission takes reasonable care in linking websites but has no direct control over the content of the linked sites, or the changes that may occur to the content on those sites. It is the responsibility of the user to make their own decisions about the accuracy, currency, reliability and correctness of information contained in linked external websites. -
Commission – General14 December 2012Speech
President speech: How human rights can promote the wellbeing of children in Australia
I would like to begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation, and pay my respects to their elders past and present. -
14 December 2012Book page
Social Justice Report 2005 : Appendix 1 : Chronology of events relating to the new arrangements for the administration of Indigenous affairs, 1 July 2004 - 30 June 2005
This Appendix provides an overview of main events since the introduction of the new arrangements for the administration of Indigenous affairs on 1 July 2004. It commences with a summary table and is followed by a detailed description of each event. -
14 December 2012Book page
Native Title Report 2008 - Chapter 4
I am convinced that climate change, and what we do about it, will define us, our era, and ultimately the global legacy we leave for future generations. Today, the time for doubt has passed.[1] Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General, United Nations -
14 December 2012Book page
Native Title Report 2009: Chapter 1
The reporting period for this Report is 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009. Throughout this period, there was significantly more activity in native title law and policy than I witnessed in the first five years of my term as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner.