News

Disability Rights

Disability discrimination and insurance

Australian Life Underwriters Association and Claims Association conference 5 November 2000 Graeme Innes AM Deputy Disability Discrimination Commissioner

Disability Rights

Dimensions of diversity in Australian civil society

It is a particular pleasure for me to have been invited here today to launch the City of Dandenong's Diversity Action Plan. Allow me a few moments to explain why.

Disability Rights

Physical Disability Council of NSW AGM presentation (2009)

Thank you Anne-Mason and Ruth for this invitation to address your AGM on health access issues, and in particular access to height adjustable examination beds in primary health care facilities.

Disability Rights

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

On March 30 this year Australia lined up with 80 other countries at the UN in New York to sign the Convention on the Rights or Persons with Disabilities

Disability Rights

National Deafness Sector Summit

I'd also like to acknowledge Brian Rope's many years of contribution to the disability sector, and wish him well in retirement, and wish Nicole Lawder success as she moves into the CEO's role.

Disability Rights

Meeting with National Disability Advisory Council

You might have noticed that somehow governments never seem to want the same long term commitment from Human Rights Commissioners. In fact, they often seem quite happy to see us arrive at the end of a term of office ... .

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.

Disability Rights

CAPTIONED FILMS LAUNCH

A picture paints a thousand words, but most Australians gave up watching silent movies in the first half of the last century. However, for 1.7 million Australians who are Deaf or hearing impaired this is a historic day. For them it marks the beginning of access to the soundtracks of movies - access that most of us have enjoyed for all of our lives.

Sex Discrimination

Review into the Treatment of Women in the Australian Defence Force

In April last year, I was asked by the Minister for Defence to conduct an independent Review into the Treatment of Women - both in the Australian Defence Force Academy, or ADFA, and in the broader Australian Defence Force - on behalf of the Australian Human Rights Commission.

Rights and Freedoms

Australian Lawyers Alliance Conference (2009)

As lawyers who work every day with ordinary people, you will all have first hand experience of the value that we, in Australia, place on human rights. You will also be acutely aware of the significant gaps in human rights protection in Australia.

Rights and Freedoms

USING THE LAW TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE Graeme Innes AM (2007)

Scarlett Finney was only six when she saw the brochures for the Hills Grammar School, set in park-like grounds in Sydney's outer suburbs. She indicated her keenness to attend "the school in the bush". Her parents were prepared to pay the fees, and saw the setting and curriculum as providing her with a great education. But the school refused her enrolment due to the fact that she had spina bifida, and sometimes used a wheelchair [1].

Rights and Freedoms

THE CLASH OF CIVILISATIONS: Dr Sev Ozdowski OAM (2003)

"....the fundamental conflict in the next millennium will not be primarily ideological or primarily economic. The great divisions among humankind and the dominating source of conflict will be cultural"...

Rights and Freedoms

Human Rights in Contemporary AustraliaDr Sev Ozdowski (2001)

Despite its rather grand title, this presentation will be a relatively modest attempt to set out the key challenges for human rights in Australia as I see them at the outset of my term as Human Rights Commissioner.

Commission – General

President Speech: Flinders University Law School Prize Giving Ceremony 2010

I am honoured to have been invited to address you this evening on this beautiful campus of the Flinders University of South Australia. Let me begin my address by recalling that, long before the establishment of this prestigious place of learning in the European tradition, there was learning of another tradition here; the learning of the Kaurna people of the Adelaide Plains.I would like to acknowledge the Kaurna people, the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, and pay my respect to their elders, past and present.

Commission – General

President speech: Mandatory immigration detention of children in Australia: how far have we come and where to from here? (2010)

I would like to begin by acknowledging the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation, the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, and pay my respect to their elders past and present.