News

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

Launch of Ros Kidd's 'Black lives, government lies' (2nd edition)

Dr Kidd has made an enormously valuable contribution to our understanding of the history of relations between Indigenous peoples in Queensland and government. Because of her commitment and tenacity in obtaining access to, and then exposing the contents of, government records about the administration of Indigenous peoples' lives, we now know far more about the precise details, the extent and the nature of the control exercised by governments in Queensland over the lives of Indigenous peoples over the past 100 years than we otherwise would.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

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The ultimate conclusion that the Commission has reached in the submission is that the Commonwealth government's response to the recommendations of Bringing them home to date has been inadequate and inappropriate. The Commission particularly notes that the government's submission to this inquiry constitutes a fresh response to many of the recommendations of Bringing them home, which rejects several recommendations of the report on the basis of flawed arguments and poor reasoning.

Disability Rights

Equality by degrees

I'm honoured to give this address. I completed my law degree at this university, and well remember the December day in 1977 when I received it. It was the culmination of four years of hard work, experiencing the pleasures and trials of campus life, and acquiring - as well as a reasonable amount of legal knowledge - a much broader appreciation of the world around me, warts and all.

Disability Rights

The Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport: where are we?

I'd like to start by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, the Ngunnawal people, in whose language Canberra means meeting place as you probably know.

Disability Rights

RIGHTS DENIED (2009)

I also want to thank Bill Shorten for being with us, and acknowledge the energy and leadership he is providing on disability issues within Government, both on specific issues and on the big picture cross government and inter-governmental issues.

Disability Rights

Deafness Forum presentation to Princess Alexandra Hospital

I was particularly pleased to receive the invitation from Deafness Forum to participate in this event to recognise the access initiatives developed by Princess Alexandra Hospital .

Disability Rights

Mental health and human rights in regional Australia in 2005

Mr Johnathon Ridnell, ABC Regional Radio Dr Maureen Rogers, Research Fellow, Centre for Sustainable Regional Communities Fellow speakers Ladies and gentlemen

Disability Rights

Presentation toRound Table on Information Access For People with Print Disabilities

I've always had a yearning to be in the Guinness Book of Records, and so I decided, in preparation for today, to give the shortest presentation ever made by a staff member of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. My presentation thus consists of just seven letters: a question of 4 letters, and an answer of 3 letters. The question is SSDD, and the answer is DDA.

Disability Rights

Is there a slow lane on the information superhighway?

The title I have taken for these remarks is "Is there a slow lane on the information superhighway". I fear that by now there may already be something dated or quaint in using the term "information superhighway". I am going to use it anyway, and perhaps make matters of style worse by adding reference to a slow lane, because I think a few important issues are suggested by this title.

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

A Human Rights Act for Australia

I would also like to acknowledge the presence of Members of Parliament - Mike Reynolds (Speaker of the Legislative Assembly), Linda Lavarch, Dean Wells, Evan Moorhead; Christine Smith, Desley Scott, Kate Jones, Dianne Reilly and Vicky Darling.

Rights and Freedoms

"HUMAN RIGHTS: A REPORT CARD FOR AUSTRALIA AND TASMANIA": DR SEV OZDOWSKI OAM (2004)

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. The acknowledgement also expresses our aspiration for a just and inclusive Australia for all.

Rights and Freedoms

"Monitoring Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child: challenges for Australia: Dr Sev Ozdowski (2002)

Thank you Mr Wishardt for your invitation and kind introduction. I would like also to acknowledge Ms Wendy McCarthy, under whose stewardship PLAN is sure to go from strength to strength.

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.

Commission – General

President Speech: What does it mean to believe in human rights in Australia today?

I would like to begin by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of this land, the Pambalong clan of the Awabakal people, and pay my respect to their elders, past and present. Today I would like to explore the question: ‘What does it mean to believe in human rights in Australia today?’ This is an ambitious project, and I am aware that the question does not have a short and simple answer.