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Rights and Freedoms
12 March 2024Media ReleaseHistoric forum to build momentum for Australian Human Rights Act
Revitalising Australia’s human rights framework – including efforts to introduce an Australian Human Rights Act – will be the focus of a landmark conference in June during the Vivid Sydney festival. Presented by the Australian Human Rights Commission, the Free + Equal Human Rights Conference will take place over 6 and 7 June at the Hyatt Regency in Sydney and will include 12 engaging… -
Children's Rights
4 October 2019Media ReleaseUN calls for national action to protect the rights of children and young people in Australia
The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child is calling on Australia to prioritise raising the age of criminal responsibility as part of its Concluding Observations on Australia's performance in protecting the country's children and young people. This comes at a time when there is a strong push around the country to improve our responses to juvenile offending and do more to divert children… -
Sex Discrimination
23 July 2021Media ReleaseCommission releases Progress Update on Independent Review into Commonwealth Parliamentary Workplaces
The Australian Human Rights Commission has today released its Progress Update on the Independent Review into Commonwealth Parliamentary Workplaces. The Commission was asked to undertake the Review by the Federal Government, with the support of the Opposition and crossbench, in March 2021. The Review is examining the culture of Commonwealth parliamentary workplaces with the aim of ensuring… -
Race Discrimination
27 September 2019Media ReleaseSubmission on the draft Religious Discrimination Bill
The Australian Human Rights Commission supports reform to improve protections against religious discrimination for all people in Australia. While supporting much of the draft Religious Discrimination Bill, the Commission urges that the Bill be amended to avoid limiting other human rights and overriding existing anti-discrimination laws. “The Commission has advocated for more than 20 years… -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
7 October 2022Media ReleaseJoint Statement on the use of hotel APODs
This Statement provides guidance on the short-term use of hotel APODs, including access to open‑air exercise, access to meaningful programs and activities, and the need to ensure medical and welfare services are of the same standard as those provided in other immigration detention facilities. -
Sex Discrimination
8 November 2019Speech
Invisible women in sport
Kate Jenkins Australian Institute of Sport Conference 6 November 2019 Thank you very much for joining me here today. I will start by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, the Ngunnawal people, and pay my respect to their Elders past, present and emerging. Every time I make that acknowledgement, I make it genuinely and from the heart. I'm really proud to live in a… -
International
5 December 2023News story
Visit of UN Special Rapporteur, Francesca Albanese
The Commission recently hosted a visit from Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967. -
Rights and Freedoms
16 October 2023Media Release
Finalists announced for 2023 Australian Human Rights Awards
Monday 16 October 2023: A diverse array of people and organisations from across Australia have been selected as finalists for this year’s Australian Human Rights Awards, the country’s premier national event for honouring and celebrating Australia’s human rights heroes. The 21 finalists were selected from over 260 nominations across five categories, including the prestigious Australian Human… -
Sex Discrimination
12 August 2022Media Release
Sex Discrimination Commissioner calls for swift action to address harassment and bullying in NSW Parliament
Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Kate Jenkins welcomes the report on sexual harassment, assault, and bullying in New South Wales Parliament and urges swift action on recommendations. -
Rights and Freedoms
17 January 2019Media Release
Modern Slavery and Beyond
As the Federal Senate debates the Modern Slavery Bill this week, the 2018 Australian Dialogue on Business and Human Rights takes place in Sydney today with modern slavery prevention as the key theme. It’s the fifth time the Global Compact Network Australia and the Australian Human Rights Commission have joined forces to address the ongoing challenges facing business, government, civil… -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
25 March 2021Media ReleaseJoint Statement: Rights of Children in the NT
Australia’s National Children’s Commissioner Anne Hollonds and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner June Oscar AO have urged the Northern Territory government to reconsider its proposals for youth offending, announced yesterday. The NT Government yesterday said it would put in "automatic revocation of bail" for young people who reoffend or breach their bail… -
11 February 2021Conciliation register
2020-01-11
The complainant was employed as a team leader with the respondent debt solutions business. She said that she took maternity leave and sought to return to work part time. The complainant alleged the company required her to work fulltime in the team leader role or to accept a role with less responsibility and lower pay. The complainant said she felt she had no option but to resign. On being… -
Commission – General
9 December 2022News story
Outstanding advocates celebrated in 2022 Human Rights Awards
An Australian not-for-profit organisation Mahboba’s Promise has won the prestigious Human Rights Medal in the 2022 Human Rights Awards. Mahboba Rawi and Nawid Cina received the accolade at a ceremony hosted by the Australian Human Rights Commission Friday, 9 December. Other awards went to Caroline Cecile Fletcher (Young People’s Award), Scientia Professor Jane McAdam (Law Award), and Hotel… -
Sex Discrimination
28 November 2022Media Release
Passage of ‘Respect@Work’ Bill is a major step in preventing harassment
The Bill creates a positive duty requiring employers to implement measures to prevent sexual harassment, sex discrimination and victimisation, and confers new regulatory powers on the Commission. -
2 July 2021Conciliation register
2020-06-13
The complainant worked for a community organisation and alleged that a volunteer stroked her arm and embraced her without her consent at a work event. She said she reported the incident to the organisation and the police. She said the organisation found that the volunteer had breached its Code of Conduct but allowed him to keep working with the organisation. She alleged the matter would have… -
Commission – General
23 October 2019Media Release
Media statement: Use of force in immigration detention
Fourteen complaints about the use of force in immigration detention form the basis for a comprehensive thematic report by the Australian Human Rights Commission tabled in Parliament today. The report considers the practices of handcuffing detainees, use of physical force within centres including arm and elbow locks, operations conducted by the Emergency Response Team (ERT), and the use of… -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
17 January 2019Media Release
New approach to Closing the Gap Strategy welcomed
The Close the Gap Campaign has welcomed the COAG agreement to work in genuine partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the Refreshed Closing the Gap Strategy. COAG has recognised that in order to effect real change, governments must work collaboratively and in genuine, formal partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as they are the essential… -
Sex Discrimination
5 March 2019Media Release
Gender equality on the golf course
New guidelines for Australian golf clubs are being rolled out today in a bid to stop sex discrimination and increase female participation, which has been sliding over the past 50 years. Golf Australia and the Australian Human Rights Commission found that while clubs offer women and girls opportunities to play and compete, frequently men were given greater opportunities purely because of… -
2 July 2021Conciliation register
2020-06-04
The complainant is blind. His employer offered him the opportunity to participate in a postgraduate leadership program delivered by the respondent not-for-profit organisation. The complainant said he informed the organisation of his disability on enrolment and requested adjustments to accommodate his disability, including the provision of reading materials in an accessible format. The… -
11 February 2021Conciliation register
2020-02-10
The complainant became pregnant while undertaking veterinary nursing training with the respondent vocational training provider. She said the training included activities that could pose a risk to her unborn baby and the provider allowed her to commence a new course, though not to withdraw from the training. The complainant said she began a period of maternity leave but was still required to …