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On 11 December 2008, the Commission presented the fifth of its seminar series celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, entitled ‘Human Rights, Equality and Fundamental Freedoms: What Difference does a Human Rights Act Make?’. The seminar was chaired by Graeme Innes AM, Human Rights Commissioner and Disability Discrimination Commissioner and featured two distinguished speakers:

The Commission’s policy work on issues of human rights and disability has involved sustained focus, and engagement with government, disability community experts and representatives, and industry bodies over many years, and particularly since the passage of the Disability Discrimination Act in 1992.

2008-09 has been a year of positive developments in the human rights area. While many human rights challenges lie ahead, as Human Rights Commissioner, I have been excited by the progress that Australia has made in human rights, both domestically and internationally during the year.

In the contemporary world, especially amongst first world economies, the culture of civil liberties, freedoms and non-discrimination are reasonably well established and these precepts have clear links to innovation, creativity and the broader concepts of economic productivity and a well-functioning civil society.

The 2006-07 year has been largely dedicated to identifying and eliminating the discrimination faced by people in same-sex relationships in accessing basic financial and work-related entitlements.

The term of the Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Susan Halliday, expired on 26 April 2001 and the federal Attorney - General, the Hon. Daryl Williams, AM, QC, MP announced the appointment of Ms Pru Goward as Sex Discrimination Commissioner for a five-year term on 29 June 2001. Ms Goward commenced her appointment on 30 July 2001. In the interim, the President acted as Sex Discrimination Commissioner.

1.1 Overview 1.2 Key findings and recommendations from A last resort? 1.3 Key legislative and policy changes 1.4 New Directions in Detention policy 1.5 Third country processing 1.6 Indefinite detention on Christmas Island 1.7 Rapid offshore processing after September election 2013 1.8 Other policy decisions 1.9 Implementation of policy 1.10 Numbers and length of detention of children 2004 – 2014 1 ...

This report covers my final year as the Race Discrimination Commissioner, a position I have occupied for five years alongside my position as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner.

This year marked the end of my nationwide Listening Tour and the beginning of what has been a busy but rewarding time in my term as Commissioner. I am delighted to report that it has been an exciting year for progressing gender and age equality in Australia. The Listening Tour played an important role in setting the agenda for my term. In deciding where the Commission should focus its efforts, I was guided by three questions that emerged from the Listening Tour