Refine results
-
Rights and Freedoms
9 March 2023Media ReleaseCommission launches model for an Australian Human Rights Act
Australia is the only liberal democracy that does not have an act or charter of rights at the national level, and there are currently very few legal protections for the fundamental rights of Australians. -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
7 September 2023Webpage
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Information about the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. -
Commission – General
21 October 2019Publication
Annual Report 2018-2019
This Annual Report sets out the performance of the Australian Human Rights Commission in the 2018–19 financial year. -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
22 October 2019Media Release
Cashless Debit Card Bill ‘not compatible’ with human rights
The Australian Human Rights Commission has warned that the proposed Cashless Debit Card Bill is not compatible with Australia’s international human rights obligations. In a submission to the Senate Inquiry into the Social Security (Administration) Amendment (Income Management to Cashless Debit Card Transition) Bill 2019, the Commission also raises concerns regarding the lack of robust… -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
23 October 2019Publication
Use of force in immigration detention
The issue of the use of force in immigration detention has been raised in a range of complaints against the Department of Home Affairs received by the Commission. This report deals thematically with 14 complaints. -
Rights and Freedoms
17 January 2019Media Release
Encryption law falls short on rights safeguards
Human Rights Commissioner Edward Santow warns significant threats to human rights remain despite some improvements to Australia’s encryption law. “Police and security agencies must be equipped with robust powers to protect our national security. However, these powers need independent oversight, to ensure any impact on our human rights is proportionate to the relevant risks,” said… -
6 April 2021Job vacancy
Internships July-December 2021
The Australian Human Rights Commission welcomes applications from students to its internship program for July to December 2021. The intent of the Commission’s internship program is to provide a practical understanding of human rights promotion and protection through the statutory functions of the Commission and create a broad appreciation of the scope of work the Commission undertakes as a … -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
17 January 2019Speech
Healing Our Spirit Worldwide 8th Gathering Closing Keynote Address
Introduction in Bunuba Thank you. Jalangurru lanygu balangarri - good afternoon everyone. Yaningi warangira ngindaji yuwa muwayi ingirranggu, Gadigal yani U. Balangarri wadjirragali jarra ningi – gamali ngindaji yau muwayi nyirrami ngarri thangani. Yaningi miya ngindaji Muwayi ingga winyira ngirranggu thangani. Yathawarra, wilalawarra jalangurru ngarri guda. I speak to you in my first… -
Disability Rights
23 July 2021Project
Accessible Housing Project
One of Commissioner Gauntlett’s term goals is to increase access to accessible housing for people with disability. -
Rights and Freedoms
31 January 2019Submission
Review of the Family Law System (2018)
As Australia’s family law system becomes ever more complex and needs to respond to a greater diversity of clients, it is timely to review how it protects the human rights of individuals and their families, in particular the most vulnerable in our communities, including children and victims of family and domestic violence. -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
11 December 2019Speech
Inaugural National Indigenous Women’s Leadership Symposium
[Introduction in Bunuba] Jalangurru lanygu wiyi yani. I want to pay my respects to the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the traditional owners of the land we meet on today, and to their elders both past and present. I also want to thank and congratulate the organisers of this event – everyone at Women in Leadership Australia and everyone at Women’s Business. Well thank you all for having… -
Children's Rights
19 April 2021Media ReleaseGovernments must prioritise raising the age
National Children’s Commissioner, Anne Hollonds and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, June Oscar AO have urged all Australian governments to raise the age of criminal responsibility as a matter of priority. A report commissioned by a meeting of Attorneys-General in July last year recommended that all jurisdictions raise the age and ensure younger teenagers… -
Rights and Freedoms
3 March 2023Speech
Human Rights in the time of Covid
Responding to the COVID-19 pandemic as a public health emergency tested national readiness in a federal system to contain the spread of the disease effectively and required very quick action by governments. -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
9 August 2019Speech
Reflections: Our Health, Our Way conference
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner June Oscar AO addressed the AMSANT Our Health Our Way Conference in the Alice Springs on August 7. The topic was 'Personal Reflection'. Jalangurru maninga balanggarri. Yaningi yatharra ngindaji yuwa muwayi ingirranggu Arrente yani U. I acknowledge the Arrente people, and all of you and your families and elders past, present… -
Rights and Freedoms
5 November 2020Speech
Do we have the necessary legal grammar to talk human rights?
We’re all talking human rights—but do we have the necessary legal grammar for them? Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM Acknowledgement Chief Justice, Justices, Masters and Registrars, good morning. Thank you to Justice Paul Tottle for the invitation to speak with you today. I’m sorry I can’t be with you in 3D, but WA once again has distanced itself from the rest of Australia in closing … -
Legal
30 January 2019SubmissionTelecommunications and Other Legislation Amendment (Assistance and Access) Bill 2018
1. Executive summary The Australian Human Rights Commission (the Commission) makes this submission to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, in response to its review of the Telecommunications and Other Legislation Amendment (Assistance and Access) Bill 2018 (Cth) (the Bill). The Explanatory Memorandum states that the purpose of the Bill is to introduce measures to… -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
8 May 2019Media Release
Our Health, Our Voice, Our Choice
The Close the Gap Campaign has welcomed the Prime Minister’s commitment to work in genuine partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to address the inequality that continues to exist in life expectancy and other outcomes. The Prime Minister Scott Morrison has tabled the Government’s Closing the Gap Report and restated the government’s commitment to work collaboratively… -
Rights and Freedoms
6 June 2019Speech
Law, Lawyers and Human Rights
Law Week Breakfast Law Society of Western Australia Perth, 13 May 2019 Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM, President, Australian Human Rights Commission Acknowledgements Thanks to Greg McIntyre SC, President of the Law Society of Western Australia, for the wonderful invitation to speak at the opening of Law Week in Perth. I would like to begin my contribution by acknowledging the… -
Children's Rights
11 December 2019Speech
2019 Human Rights Day Oration
The Hon Peter McClellan AM QC 10 December 2019 I recently visited the Peace Memorial in Hiroshima. It is a confronting but moving experience. It is a memorial to the people the allies believed it necessary to kill to win the war. They were also intent on emphasising to the world that they had the most powerful weapon ever invented. They chose to detonate the bomb in an urban area rather than… -
Rights and Freedoms
28 July 2020Opinion piece
Wearing a mask will protect human liberties, not infringe upon them
There’s been a lot of talk, anger and resistance to the changes of our rights and freedoms as Australia deals with the COVID-19 pandemic. In some way or another, each and every one of us has encountered restrictions – on our freedom of movement, the right to peaceful protest, the ability to engage in public areas without wearing masks and the requirement to provide personal information for…