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The Council of Social Service of NSW (NCOSS) is an independent non-government organisation and is the peak body for the social and community services sector in NSW. NCOSS works with its members on behalf of disadvantaged people and communities towards achieving social justice in New South Wales. It was established in 1935 and is part of a national network of Councils of Social Service which…

This is a brief submission outlining some specific instances of infringements on the child’s rights to profess and practice religion freely while being detained in the Curtin Immigration Reception and Processing Centre, WA, between October 2001 and August 2002.

In 1958, whilst our family [Penny aged 10, her brother Trevor 11, Murray 7, sister Judy 6 and baby Olive was five or six weeks old, their mother and step-father] were all resident at a house situated in Cairns, my mother's capacity to look after her children in a fit and proper manner became the subject of challenge within the Cairns District Children's Court. This action was initiated by Sgt Syd…

As discussed in Chapter 1, Australia’s international human rights obligations require that individuals who say that they are children be given the benefit of the doubt and treated as minors unless there is proof to the contrary. In the case of unaccompanied children, this should lead to consideration by the State of what steps need to be taken to ensure their special protection and care.

It has been worth it because the wider community is more aware of the issues and our history, but the opening of the old scars has been difficult. It's vital that the truth comes out, though.

COMMISSIONER OZDOWSKI: Welcome to every one, I think we will start rolling and I would like to formally open this public hearing which is one of series of hearings conducted around Australia. My name is Sev Ozdowski and I am the Human Rights Commissioner and with me are my two Assistant Commissioners. To my right is Dr Trang Thomas, Professor of Psychology at the Royal Melbourne Institute of…

COMMISSIONER OZDOWSKI: We would like formally to open this Public Hearing in Melbourne on 31 May. My name is Sev Ozdowski and I am the Human Rights Commissioner. I am assisted by two Assistant Commissioners - to my right is Dr Trang Thomas who is also Professor of Psychology at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and to my left is Mrs Robin Sullivan, who is the Queensland Children's…

4.1 Nationalities of the children in detention 4.2 Reasons for seeking asylum 4.3 Age of children in detention 4.4 Unaccompanied children 4.5 When did the children arrive in Australia? 4.6 How long are children kept in detention? 4.7 Movement of children across the detention network 4.8 Mental health and wellbeing of children in detention 4.9 Detention is a dangerous place 4.10 Rates of self…

It was a landmark for Australia - the first federal law to say that all people have the right to be treated fairly, regardless of their background, culture or colour.

The ADF Audit began at the end of August 2013, one year from the tabling of the ADF Review’s Report, in accordance with the Terms of Reference. While the ADF Review’s Report was broad in scope, the approach of the ADF Audit was necessarily more specific. Accordingly, the team conducting the Audit sought to gather evidence of the implementation of the recommendations contained in the ADF…

My name is Keysar Trad. I am the Vice President of the Lebanese Muslims Association in Sydney. The Lebanese Muslims Association was established in 1961 by a group of Lebanese Muslim citizens to advocate on behalf of Lebanese and other Muslims in the Australian community. We have over 1100 financial members and over tens of thousands who use our facilities on festive occasions, many or our members…

Between 1 September 2008 and 22 November 2011, 180 young Indonesians who said that they were children arrived in Australia, having worked as crew on boats bringing asylum seekers to Australia. These young people were often fishermen from impoverished communities in the south and east of Indonesia. Many of them have spent long periods of time in immigration detention without being charged, or…

Throughout the course of the Inquiry, a number of serious disturbances occurred in immigration detention centres, including riots, fires, hunger strikes, protests, self-harm and suicide attempts.

In August 2001, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) began a comprehensive examination of the need or otherwise for a national paid maternity leave scheme in Australia.

‘Finding my Family’, Rooth Wilay Robertson My painting depicts each family member, with all the different skin colours, as puzzle pieces finally all joined up to complete our story.

This chapter considers some of the Commonwealth’s practices regarding the use of wrist x-ray analysis as a means of assessing chronological age for the purposes of criminal prosecution. It highlights situations where the reliance on wrist x-rays as evidence of age was contrary to stated Australian Government policy; or where it contributed to individuals who were in fact children, or who…