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The most recent report on Indigenous languages in Australia, the National Indigenous Languages Survey (NILS) Report 2005, found that the situation of Australia’s Indigenous languages is grave and requires urgent action. Of the 145 Indigenous languages still spoken in Australia, 110 are critically endangered. All of Australia’s Indigenous languages face an uncertain future if immediate action and care are not taken.

This is my fifth Social Justice Report as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner. In the course of this report I look back at developments over the past five years to ascertain the extent to which we are moving towards achieving long term, sustainable improvements in the situation of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders and the extent to which government policy making and program delivery is inhibiting such improvement.

I am recommending that the governments of Australia commit to achieving equality of health status and life expectation between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous people within 25 years.

Family violence and abuse is occurring at an unacceptable level in our Indigenous communities. It is a scourge that damages our families and communities, traumatises our women and children and tears at the fabric of our culture.

The Government has established an expert panel in order to ensure appropriate public discussion and debate about the proposed changes and to provide an opportunity for people to express their views.

That the federal Government request the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) to provide to COAG information on the actions that need to be taken in order to improve Indigenous data collection. The ABS should respond to the suggestions made by the Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Delivery in the Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage Report 2003, as well as identify actions that they consider necessary to ensure the availability of relevant data on a regular basis. In providing this information, the ABS should:

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 5 recommendations - 2 in relation to the needs of Indigenous women exiting prison and 3 relating to the new arrangements for the administration of Indigenous affairs. The report also contains 10 follow up actions that my office will undertake over the next twelve months in relation to the new arrangements. These and the recommendations are reproduced here and appear at the relevant part of the report.

Thank you for inviting me here to speak at the Sydney launch of two reports from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner; the 2003 Native Title Report and the 2003 Social Justice Report.

On 13 February 2008 Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, on behalf of the Australian Parliament, made a historic and long overdue national Apology to the Stolen Generations. With eloquence and emotion, Prime Minister Rudd said what so many Australians have wanted to say, and what so many Indigenous peoples have needed to hear:

The Social Justice Report 2005, Native Title Report 2005 and Community Guide were launched by the Social Justice Commissioner on March 31, 2006 at the Museum of Sydney.

When I commenced writing this chapter in 2008, Australia did not have a national Indigenous languages policy. However in August 2009, for the first time in Australia’s history, the Commonwealth Government launched a strategy for preserving Indigenous languages: Indigenous Languages - A National Approach 2009 (National Approach). The National Approach sets out the Commonwealth Government’s plan to preserve Indigenous languages through targeted actions. They are:

In my role as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner I am required to produce two annual reports on Indigenous human rights issues – the Social Justice Report and the Native Title Report.

As I reflect on the events that have taken place during the reporting period from 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2011, I see cause for optimism whilst also acknowledging there are still some areas that remain a concern. Over the last year we have reached some major milestones. For instance, we have seen the election of the two co-chairs and a board to the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples (National Congress), and we are also now engaged in a conversation with the Australian people about how we go about recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in our Constitution.

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 5 recommendations - 3 in relation to Achieving health equality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people s and 2 in relation to the new arrangement in Indigenous affairs. The report also contains 5 follow up actions that my office will undertaken over the next twelve months in relation to the new arrangements. These and the recommendations are reproduced here and appear at the relevant part of the report.

In my role as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, I am required to prepare two reports on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ human rights issues each year – the Native Title Report and the Social Justice Report.

When it comes to ‘good policy’ in Indigenous affairs, a core requirement is the effective participation of Indigenous peoples in all decisions that impact on their lives. In practice, this means governments have a responsibility to actively involve Indigenous peoples in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies that affect them, and to make the necessary changes to avoid or address any adverse impacts.

This appendix contains an overview of the main framework agreements and partnerships made between Indigenous representative organisations, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission, and state or territory governments.[1]

Over 1996-2001, there was an estimated difference of approximately 17 years between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous life expectation.[2]

Media Pack: PROGRESS IN ADDRESSING INDIGENOUS DISADVANTAGE INCOME Gross household income for Indigenous people increased by 11% between 1996 and 2001. In 2001, it was 62% of the rate for non-Indigenous Australians, compared to 64% in 1996. Median gross individual income for Indigenous people increased by 19% from 1996 to 2001, compared to an increase of 28.4% for non-Indigenous people. There has ...

There is an urgent need for sound policy in Indigenous affairs. Chapter 1 of the Social Justice Report 2006 considers what some of the key elements of good Indigenous policy making are.