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Australia"s sole independent watchdog on Indigenous rights and programs said the government"s progress in implementing the new arrangements for Indigenous affairs over the past 12 months has been mixed - with some significant developments in promoting whole-of-government coordination, but some worrying gaps and challenges yet to be adequately addressed.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Tom Calma, has issued a challenge to Australian governments to address Indigenous health inequality and inequality of opportunity through a new campaign outlined in this year"s Social Justice Report.

Dr Jonas has focused this report on young Indigenous people young between the ages of 15 and 29. The Indigenous population is young, with a median age of 20. Over the next decade a high proportion of Indigenous people will reach working age and be ready to take on adult responsibilities. From this group will emerge Indigenous Australia's future leaders.

Mr Tom Calma Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC), Parliament House, Canberra, 8 April 2005

The Third Report examines the juvenile justice system and its impact on Indigenous children and young people. It also includes a discussion of the recent High Court decision in Teoh and its implications for Australian human rights law and practice. A detailed consideration of cultural rights under Article 27 of the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) is provided. Comprehensive extracts from the Office's submission to the Australian Parliament on the Social Justice Package are also provided.

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.

The Fifth Report 1997 includes a discussion of co-existence with emphasis on the Wik decision and a consideration of the 30 years of Indigenous affairs since the 1967 Referendum. A time line summarises some of the major achievements of Indigenous activism in that time. The report includes a chapter on the contemporary separations of Indigenous children from their families through the juvenile justice and welfare systems.

The Fourth Report focuses on housing issues for Indigenous peoples. The report outlines current critiques of public housing, contains a detailed consideration of the proposed reform to the public housing industry and gives several examples of best practice in the area of housing and infrastructure policy for Indigenous people. The report critically analyses the "race debate" in Australia and considers the Government's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs policy. It examines options for diverting Indigenous young offenders from police custody and juvenile detention centres.

This appendix provides an overview of the main events with regard to the administration of Indigenous affairs to 30 June 2006. It commences with a summary table and is followed by a detailed description of each event.

The most comprehensive statement of this right is Article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).1 Article 12 states:

It is with great pleasure that I present my first Social Justice Report (the Report) as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, having commenced my five-year term on 1 February 2010.

Social Justice Report 2006 Back to Contents Downloads Download the full report in PDF format (7.21 MB) Community Guide Chapters Introduction (PDF 649 KB) Chapter 1 (PDF 357 KB) Chapter 2 (PDF 1.37 MB) Chapter 3 (PDF 1.91 MB) Chapter 4 (PDF 1.24 MB) Appendix 1 (PDF 1 MB) Appendix 2 (PDF 382 KB) Appendix 3 (PDF 320 KB) Appendix 4 (PDF 314 KB) ...

Social Justice Report 2007 Back to Contents Downloads in PDF Download the full report (9.24 MB) Chapters Social Justice Report 2007 Book Cover (512 KB) About the report & Credits (876 KB) Recommendations (146 KB) Chapter 1: Introduction (117 KB) Chapter 2: Indigenous communities dealing with family violence and abuse: recognising 'promising practice' and learning from achievements (11.86 MB) ...

1. Ten Years on from the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody 2. Mutual Obligation, Welfare Reform and Indigenous Participation: A Human Rights Perspective

In accordance with the functions set out in section 46C(1) (a) of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1986 (Cth), this report includes 8 recommendations – 3 in relation to the accessibility of mainstream services under the new arrangements for Indigenous affairs, 1 in relation to engaging with Indigenous communities under the new arrangements for Indigenous affairs and 4 in relation to international developments on the rights of indigenous peoples.