Human Rights Award medal announced today

A former Socceroo, a disability rights activist, the author of best-seller Dark Emu, a leading business consultant, and a campaigning lawyer from Queensland are waiting to hear if they will be awarded the prestigious Human Rights Award medal on Friday.

The winners in all nine categories of the Australian Human Rights Commission’s annual Human Rights Awards will be announced today at a ceremony at Sydney’s Fullerton Hotel.

The awards acknowledge the work done in our communities by ordinary Australians, organisations, businesses and community groups to further human rights and freedoms in Australia.

“This year’s finalists are all outstanding advocates for a fairer and more equal Australia for all,” said Commission President Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM.

“The Human Rights Awards represent the pinnacle of human rights recognition in Australia, and all our finalists deserve to be applauded for their tireless devotion to making Australia a better place.”

The nine Awards categories are:

• Human Rights Medal
• Young People’s Human Rights Medal
• Business Award
• Government Award
• Racism. It Stops With Me Award
• Media Award
• Tony Fitzgerald Memorial Community Individual Award
• Community Organisation Award
• Law Award

This year’s nominees for the Human Rights Medal include Aimee McVeigh, Professor Bruce Pascoe, Craig Foster, Richard Boele and Rosemary Kayess. Previous winners in this category include Chrissie Foster AM, the Hon. Justice Peter McClellan AM, Johnathan Thurston AM, Pat Anderson AO, Professor Peter Greste, Ian Thorpe AM, the Rt Hon. Malcom Fraser AC, Dorothy Hoddinott AO, and the Hon. Elizabeth Evatt AC.

The full list of finalists is available at http://hrawards.humanrights.gov.au  

Media contact: Sarah Bamford 0417 957 525 or Sarah.Bamford@humanrights.gov.au

Note for editors:

Please note - media are welcome to register with the Australian Human Rights Commission to attend and record the awards.