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Explore a position paper that outlines a human rights approach for the implementation of the Australian Government's residential aged care reforms.

This paper replaces the previous Commission paper - ‘Roadmap to the Age Discrimination Act’. It includes an update on subsequent changes made to the Act. The paper will also look at the ways in which the Act is used by members of the public in exercising their rights, specifically in relation to making complaints and seeking temporary exemptions.

Human rights at your fingertips is a pocket guide for public sector officials and contains the text of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the seven international human rights treaties ratified by Australia and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The pocket guide also provides a table summarising the articles related to each right across the instruments.

Human rights issues raised by the transfer of asylum seekers to third countries’ sets out the Australian Human Rights Commission’s position in relation to steps taken recently by the Australian Government to transfer asylum seekers who arrive in Australia by boat to third countries for the processing of their claims for protection.

The Commission has issued these draft guidelines to provide practical assistance to Parliament and the Government in designing and implementing income management measures that protect human rights and are consistent with the RDA. They are also intended to increase awareness among affected communities about the application of the RDA to income management regimes.

Download in PDF [1.72MB] Community Guide to the Report Table of Contents Introduction Section 1: The importance of a National Representative Body Section 2: What we heard in the national consultation process Section 3: The proposed model: a new National Representative Body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples Section 4: A developmental approach: the interim process for the new national representative body to December 2010.

This paper explores the many ways that homelessness impacts on a person’s ability to enjoy basic rights and freedoms. It shows that homelessness is more than just a housing issue. Homelessness is about human rights. Homeless people are not merely objects of charity, seeking help and compassion – like all Australians, they are individuals entitled to the protection and promotion of their human rights. Since human rights belong to everyone, it is in the interests of the Australian community as a whole to ensure that the rights of homeless people are respected and protected.

This publication, Human rights standards for immigration detention, sets out benchmarks for the humane treatment of people held in immigration detention

The Racial Hatred Act, introduced in October 1995, extends the coverage of the RDA so that people can complain to the Australian Human Rights Commission about racially offensive or abusive behaviour. It aims to strike a balance between two valued rights: the right to communicate freely and the right to live free from vilification.

1. What are bridging visas? Bridging visas are temporary visas which allow people to legally reside in the Australian community while they are applying for a longer term visa, appealing a decision relating to their visa, or making arrangements to leave Australia. Bridging visas can be granted to different groups of people, including asylum seekers who are seeking protection as refugees in Australia. Following health, identity and security checks...

As I reach the end of my appointment as the first Disability Discrimination Commissioner, and in the light of proposed structural and funding changes to the Commission, I am drawn to reflect upon the theory and practice, challenges and developments, lessons and achievements, of the first five years of operation of the Disability Discrimination Act, and to look towards directions for the next five years.