News

Disability Rights

Innes: International Day of People with Disability 2008

On 16 December 1992, the General Assembly of the United Nations appealed to Governments around the world to observe 3 December of each year as International Day of people with disability. This is a day to celebrate abilities of people with disability all over the world. The aim of observing this day each year is also to increase awareness, and understanding, of disability issues and the gains to be derived from the integration of people with disability in every aspect of life. The nomination and celebration of this day is an important tool in promoting the rights of people with a disability.

Disability Rights

Enabling access

I also acknowledge distinguished guests, representatives of State and local government, members of access advisory committees, and my colleague Mr Mike Taggart who has been a central figure in the achievement we celebrate today.

Rights and Freedoms

Can rights solve the issue of homelessness?

Homelessness has, I'm sure, been on your agendas for many years. More recently, both Parity and the Rudd federal government (if I can put you both in the same league) has given it a much increased focus. Today, I want to identify the many human rights issues raised in the context of homelessness, and suggest how a human rights framework would help address what is an ever-increasing problem in our society.

Rights and Freedoms

Beyond Bush Talks: Chris Sidoti (2000)

Thank you for inviting me to speak today. It is almost a year since I spoke about the Human Rights Commission's Bush Talks consultations at the 1999 national conference of the Australian Association of Rural Nurses in Adelaide. I spoke in particular about some of the health concerns raised in the consultations. Today I would like to look beyond Bush Talks in more detail at some of the areas of particular concern which were raised and then explain some of the Commission's continuing work on human rights in rural Australia.

Commission – General

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I was invited to pick my own topic for discussion. As an ex-judge being invited to speak to students of the law, I assumed that I was expected to speak on something related to the administration of the law from a judge's perspective. And as President of Australia's Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC), I assumed I was expected to mention the role of human rights promotion in our legal system.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

A human rights agenda for the Northern Territory (2008)

I begin by paying my respects to the Larrakia peoples, the traditional owners of the land where we gather today. I pay my respects to your elders, to the ancestors and to those who have come before us.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

Social Justice and Wellbeing (2010)

I begin today by paying my respects to the Ngunnawal peoples and their elders, whose land we meet on today. I acknowledge their graciousness in sharing their lands and their culture with all those who live and visit here.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

Climate Change and Indigenous Peoples

Good afternoon. I’m Warwick Baird, Director of the Native Title Unit at the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. What a great conference it has been so far. Thanks AIATSIS for a wonderful job, Lisa Strelein and all your colleagues thank you for all your hard work.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

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I would like to begin by acknowledging the Gadigal people of the Eora nation, the traditional owners of the land where we meet today and to pay my respects to their elders. I would also like to thank the University of NSW and Professor Daniel Tarantola for organising this event, and the Chair; and to acknowledge my eminent fellow speakers – Sofia Gruskin, Paul Hunt, Justice Michael Kirby and Daniel Tarantola again. It’s an honour to be speaking with such a distinguished group.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

Sustainable Development Conference

I would like to start this afternoon by acknowledging the Noongar people, the traditional owners of the land where we meet today. For those Noongars here – I’d like to congratulate you in the success of your native title claim over this area. Your determination and your ability to work together as a group to pursue this claim is an inspiration to all of us. Indigenous property rights and connection to land are crucial considerations for this presentation because they underpin any discussion about human rights, Indigenous people and land matters.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

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The title of this session on the conference program is 'The history of human rights in Australian law'. I have chosen to slightly change the topic for a number of reasons. The main reason is because Indigenous peoples' struggle for recognition of their human rights remains to a large extent unfulfilled. Consequently, it is not, and has never been, well reflected in Australian law. Second, because human rights continue to be poorly and rather patchily implemented in our legal system.

Disability Rights

UN Convention - Rights of people with disabilities & domestic violence

Diverse and inclusive practice: Redrawing the boundaries Domestic Violence, Disability and Cultural Safety National Forum Brighton-Le-Sands, NSW, 8 - 9 November 2007

Sex Discrimination

Launch of Good Practice, Good Business (2004)

Firstly, I would like to pass on apologies from the President of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, The Hon. John von Doussa QC, who is presently interstate and unable to be here today. It goes without saying that he entirely endorses the purpose of this project and believes there should be more of it.

Rights and Freedoms

Mornington Peninsula Shire Conference

Firstly I would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we stand and by so doing remind ourselves that Australia's cultural traditions stretch back many thousands of years.

Rights and Freedoms

Human Rights Day address: Chris Sidoti (1996)

Forty eight years ago this Tuesday, on December 10 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The declaration was a response to the trauma that many of the world’s nations had experienced in World War II. The trauma was especially strong among the nations of Europe, particularly because of the Holocaust, but it was also evident in East Asia, South Asia, South East Asia and the Pacific.