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Commission – General

Launch of Trustees on Trial - recovering the stolen wages by Dr Rosalind Kidd

As many of you know, for over a decade Dr Kidd has been a tenacious and dedicated advocate for the rights of Indigenous people. She has focused especially on the gross inequities that occurred through and under the various 'Protection Acts' that operated in Queensland from the 1890s to the 1980s.

Category, Speech
Commission – General

H R Law Masterclass: Federal Anti-discrimination Law in an Employment Context: recent developments, likely future directions and the lessons from the past

To some of you the role of The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) in the industrial relations scene in Australia will be well known, others of you may be wondering why a representative of a human rights body would be speaking on this occasion. I propose therefore to briefly summarise HREOC's role in the administration of federal anti-discrimination law, including its complaint handling function, and to give some recent statistics.

Category, Speech
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

Creating Futures 2010 Conference (2010)

I begin today by thanking Granny Alice Yeatman for her warm welcome to Yarrabah and paying my respects to the Traditional Owners, on whose land we meet. Good morning ladies and gentlemen, my Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander brothers and sisters, distinguished guests.

Category, Speech
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

NAIDOC Week 2008 - Ministerial Event

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 respects to their elders past and present.

Category, Speech
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

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I would like to start today by acknowledging the Gimuy Walubara Yidinji people on whose land we are on today and pay my respect to your elders both past and present.

Category, Speech
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

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Thank you Tom, for inviting me to speak today. Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the traditional owners, the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation, and thank Uncle Charlie for his generous welcome to country.

Category, Speech
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

Social Justice and Native Title reports for 2001

We're here today for the launch of two reports: a report on social justice and another report on native title. These reports are to be launched by their author, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Social Justice Commissioner, Dr William Jonas.

Category, Speech
Disability Rights

Launch of revised Commonwealth Disability Strategy

Transcript of remarks made by Graeme Innes AM Deputy Disability Discrimination Commissioner, at the launch of the revised Commonwealth Disability Strategy, Parliament House, Canberra, 5 October 2000

Category, Speech
Disability Rights

Adaptable Departments - disability action plans and what makes them work

I am very pleased to be able to contribute to this Forum and would like to congratulate the co-convenors, Rhonda and Fiona, and their organisations for this initiative, which is just one part of the Disability Advisory Council's Disability Action Plan Project running throughout 2006.

Category, Speech
Disability Rights

Reasonable adjustment

It's important for us all in talking about reasonable adjustment not to appear to present employing people with disability as something new or exceptional being asked of employers.

Category, Speech

Being a young person can be tough. Sometimes it can feel like you don’t have a say about things that affect you. But you do! Having a say is one of your rights. Understanding your rights will give you the power to stand up for yourself and the people around you. So, let’s break down what children’s rights are.

My rights as a young person

What is a right?

Human rights are special protections that help us live a happy, healthy life. Human rights protect the things that we should all have—like clean water and safety. Your rights should always be respected and never taken away from you. 

Universal and equal rights

Human rights are universal and equal. Which means:

  • Everyone has human rights, simply because they are human—no matter who they are, how they identify, or what language they speak, or if they have a disability. 
  • No right is more important than another—all rights are important and should be treated with the same respect.
children holding hands on a hill at sunset

Did you know there are 42 rights just for children?

Children have special rights to meet their special needs. They are written down in an agreement made by world leaders in 1989—the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. 

See all 42 rights for children

Adults are responsible for making sure children get the special care they need to grow up healthy and happy. 

Here are some important rights for children 

You have the right to:

  1. Be treated fairly no matter what.
  2. Have a say about decisions affecting you.
  3. Live and grow up healthy.
  4. Have people do what is best for you.
  5. Know who you are and where you come from.
  6. Privacy.
  7. Find out information and express yourself.
  8. Be safe no matter where you are.
  9. Be cared for and have a home.
  10. Education, play, and cultural activities.
  11. Believe what you want.
  12. Help and protection if you need it.

What do rights look like in real life?

Let’s use some examples to help you understand your rights.

My right to an education

All children have the right to an education.

  • Hunter lives hundreds of kilometres away from the closest school, but still has a right to an education. 
  • A teacher supports Hunter remotely by sending them lessons and holding classes online.

My right to be heard

All children have the right to be heard and have their views taken into account.

  • Amara has the right to a safe place to live. 
  • A community support worker listens to Amara’s concerns about where she lives. The worker helps Amara find a safer place.

My right to enjoy my culture

All children have a right to know who they are and where they come from. 

  • Nayuka has the right to learn about her culture. 
  • A cultural program teaches her about her mob, her culture, and how to care for Country.  

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