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The Commissioners of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission have the function of assisting the Federal Court or Federal Magistrates Service as amicus curiae in discrimination matters. An amicus curiae is a "friend to the court" who assists the court on points of law in a particular case. Amicus are generally not parties to the proceedings, do not file pleadings or lead evidence and they may not lodge an appeal.

SUBMISSION TO THE AUSTRALIAN SENATE, COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, LEGISLATION COMMITTEE On THE ABORIGINAL LAND RIGHTS (NORTHERN TERRITORY) AMENDMENT BILL 2006 (CTH) FROM THE ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER SOCIAL JUSTICE COMMISSIONER AND ACTING RACE DISCRIMINATION COMMISSIONER, TOM CALMA 13 July 2006 INTRODUCTION I welcome the opportunity to comment on the proposed amendments to The Aboriginal Land ...

The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Federal Government"s Discussion Paper: Access to Aboriginal Land under the Northern Territory Aboriginal Land Rights Act - Time for Change?

1. The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (‘the Commission’) provides this submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee (‘the Committee’) in its inquiry into the Crimes Amendment (Bail and Sentencing) Bill 2006 (‘the Bill’).

This submission is made by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner on behalf of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) of Australia. HREOC is Australia’s national human rights institution established by a law of the federal Parliament and operating in compliance with the ‘Paris Principles’ for national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights. [1]

This submission is made by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner on behalf of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) of Australia. It addresses the following issues:

This submission is made by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner on behalf of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) of Australia. It provides an overview of recent developments relating to:

Dr Bill Jonas has called on the government to strengthen the monitoring role of ATSIC at the national level as well as provide it with enhanced powers at the state and regional levels. Dr Jonas is the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner. His comments were made in a submission made on behalf of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission and lodged with the ATSIC Review this week.

This submission is made by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner on behalf of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. [1] It responds to the public discussion paper titled 'Review of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission - June 2003'.

To access the Executive Summary of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner's Submission to the Northern Territory Law Reform Committee Inquiry into Aboriginal Customary law in the Northern Territory click here.

To access the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner's Submission to the Northern Territory Law Reform Committee Inquiry into Aboriginal Customary law in the Northern Territory click here.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner has also made a submission to this inquiry. To access that submission click here.

The statement by the President has outlined a number of key concerns relating to the proposed Bill as they affect the Commission as a whole. I wish to address an issue which relates specifically to the functions that I have been appointed to fulfill - namely the proposal in the Bill to abolish the specialist position of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner and replace it with a generalist human rights commissioner.

A similar but not identical Bill was put before the Federal Parliament in April 1998, a week after the commencement of my Presidency. The Commission opposed many of that Bill's provisions and continues to oppose those provisions that exist in the current Bill as well as new ones.

A strong and independent national human rights organisation is crucial to promote and protect fundamental values of fairness, equality, tolerance and non-discrimination.

1.1 Wide-ranging amendments to the structure and functions of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission ("the Commission") are proposed by the Australian Human Rights Commission Legislation Bill 2003 (Cth) ("AHRC Bill").

I write to alert you to a Federal Government proposal to abolish the post of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner (together with the posts of Race Discrimination Commissioner, Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Disability Discrimination Commissioner and Human Rights Commissioner). Those interested in this matter may wish to make a submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Legislation Committee inquiry into the government's bill before the closing date of 24 April 2003. Details follow.

This submission is made by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. It considers the human rights implications of the use of the genetic information of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders (herein, Indigenous peoples) and the adequacy of current levels of protection.

The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission has made a submission to the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.The submission provides information to the Committee when it considers Australia's periodic reports under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

The Commission has made a submission to the United Nations Human Rights Committee on Australia's periodic reports under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.