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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 - 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 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 also seeks to assist governments to help us confront this problem by reinforcing these structures through legislation and policy. -
14 December 2012Book page
Native Title Report 2010: Introduction
As the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, one of my primary responsibilities is to report annually on the impact of the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) on the exercise and enjoyment of the human rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.[1] I fulfil this responsibility by producing the annual Native Title Report. -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice14 December 2012Speech
Garma Festival of Traditional Culture
I would like to acknowledge the Gumatj people on whose land we are today. I would also like to acknowledge other Yolngu people and balanda here today and thank the Yothu Yindi Foundation for inviting me to speak at this years Garma Festival where we celebrate the Yolngu culture and world view. -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice26 October 2017Speech
Rural and Remote Mental Health Conference 2017
A speech by June Oscar about her work at the Australian Human Rights Commission, the importance of language and culture to our social and emotional well-being, and the role of our women in leading us to a better future. -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice14 December 2012Speech
Reconciliation Week Seminar Series
I begin today by paying my respects to the Ngunnawal peoples, the peoples on whose land we come to celebrate Reconciliation week today. I am of the Gangulu from the Dawson Valley in Central Queensland and when I speak to my Elders, they ask me to pass on my salutations to the traditional owners of the land I visit, and thank them for their continued fight for their country and their culture. But today I also acknowledge their graciousness in sharing their lands and their culture with all those who live and visit here in the spirit of reconciliation. -
Commission – General14 December 2012Speech
Equality before the law
In the second century AD, Marcus Aurelius, a Roman emperor and Stoic philosopher, thanked one of his brothers for teaching him to value "the conception of the state with one law for all, based upon individual equality and freedom of speech, and of a sovereignty which prizes above all things the liberty of the subject."1 -
Rights and Freedoms8 October 2019Speech
Free and Equal: An Australian Conversation on Human Rights
‘Free and Equal: An Australian Conversation on Human Rights’ 8 October 2019 Opening Remarks Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM President, Australian Human Rights Commission Check against delivery Your Excellency, Dr Michele Bachelet, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights; Australian Human Rights Commission Commissioners—Dr Ben Gauntlett, Disability Discrimination Commissioner ... -
14 April 2015Book page
5 Nations - Self-determination and a new era of Indigenous governance
5.1 Introduction 5.2 The importance of Nations 5.3 Framework for Indigenous governance 5.4 Community governance: a Nation building approach 5.5 Australian accounts of successful nation building 5.6 Voices of Nations, not just national voices 5.7 Conclusions and recommendations 5.1 Introduction Since the beginning of my term as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, I ... -
11 February 2014Book page
Appendix B – Australia’s international human rights context
Australia has agreed to be bound by and comply in good faith with international human rights law. It has done this by ratifying international human rights treaties International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) ... -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice12 May 2014Webpage
Self-determination
Relevant Articles: Articles 3, 4 and 5 Self-determination is the central right of the Declaration. All other rights support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ exercise of self-determination. All Indigenous peoples have this right. Self-determination can mean different things to different groups of people. At its core, self-determination ‘is concerned with the fundamental right of ... -
14 December 2012Book page
Native Title Report 2003 : Chapter 1
Australia is a wealthy nation. In 2003, Australia ranked fourth in the United Nations Human Development Index (1) indicating Australians enjoyed one of the highest qualities of life in the world. Overall, Australia ranks equal fourth with the highest life expectancy at birth (79.0 years) suggesting Australians are among the healthiest people in the world. (2) -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice12 May 2014Webpage
Respect for and protection of culture
Relevant Articles: Language cultural and spiritual identity: discusses the parts of the Declaration around protecting and promoting Indigenous peoples cultural rights. (Article 11, 12, 13) Rights to country, resources and knowledge. (Articles 25-32) We, as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, belong to the longest continuous cultures in the world The Declaration asserts our rights to ... -
Legal14 December 2012Webpage
Inquiry into the Welfare Reform and Reinstatement of Racial Discrimination Act Bill 2009 and other Bills
There is intense hurt and anger at being isolated on the basis of race and subjected to collective measures that would never be applied to other Australians. The Intervention was received with a sense of betrayal and disbelief. Resistance to its imposition undercut the potential effectiveness of its substantive measures. -
Rights and Freedoms15 March 2013Speech
Human Rights from a religious viewpoint (with particular reference to religious liberty)
Ronald Wilson President Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission World Conference on Religion and Peace 2 February 1991 Monash University Speech notes Synopsis: I. Introduction II. United Nations Charter III. The Universal Declaration 1. Place of religious freedom among human rights (a) A matter of individual opinion? (b) A social and political right IV. The 1966 Covenants Freedom of religion ... -
Commission – General14 December 2012Speech
Why we need an Australian Bill of Rights - a Joint Forum
The first is that HREOC has been suggesting for a considerable time that there needs to be renewed public debate on whether Australia should have a charter of human rights of some sort. It seems that the launch of the New Matilda campaign will give momentum to such a debate. A lot has changed, both nationally and internationally since the unsuccessful attempts of the 1970s and the 1980s to interest Australians in a bill of rights. As is so often said, Australia has now become the only major Western democracy that does not have a bill of rights. -
Commission – General15 September 2021Speech
Human Rights Day Oration 2020: Rosemary Kayess and Nas Campanella
The 2020 Human Rights Day Oration was delivered by leading disability rights advocate Rosemary Kayess, winner of the 2019 Human Rights Medal, and a contributor to the drafting of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Ms Kayess discussed the social transformation of CRPD and the impact it has had on the community as well as her work with the Disability Royal ... -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice14 December 2012Opinion piece
One's identity is for the individual to determine (2011)
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. -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice6 November 2017Webpage
Women's Voices
ABOUT THE PROJECT Wiyi Yani U Thangani (Women’s Voices) builds on the legacy of the 1986 Women’s Business Report . The Australian Human Rights Commission (the ‘Commission’) is asking Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander women and girls to share their experiences about what the key challenges, priorities and aspirations are for themselves and their communities. This is part of a major project, led by ...