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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.

Commission - General

Opening statement by Commission President, Catherine Branson QC to the Joint Select Committee on Australia's Immigration Detention Network

Thank you for the opportunity to appear before the Committee this afternoon. The ºÚÁÏÇ鱨վ welcomes the opportunity to comment on Australia's immigration detention system in this forum.

Commission - General

President speech: Human rights, the Constitution and a Human Rights Act

We are gathered this evening on the land of the Ngambri people, from whom Canberra takes its name, and I pay my respects to their elders past and present.

Commission - General

President speech: Mandatory immigration detention of children in Australia: how far have we come and where to from here? (2010)

Discover a speech on mandatory immigration detention of children.

Commission - General

Graduation Address

I speak to you now, not as the Chancellor of this University, but as the President of Australia’s national Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. And while my remarks are addressed primarily to today’s graduands, I suspect what I am about to say will resonate among parents and friends.

Commission - General

Society of University Lawyers

When I was invited to give this address, my first thought was to talk about unlawful discrimination in the context of higher education and, in particular, disability discrimination.

Commission - General

Federal Anti-discrimination Law - 2004

In May last year I stepped down from my position as a Judge of the Federal Court to accept the role as President of HREOC. It has been a time of new challenges, such as the need to balance the legislative and administrative responsibilities that the Commission has been given by the federal government, with the important role of advocating for the rights of those on the margins of Australian society.

Commission - General

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I have been asked to speak today about the contributions made to Australia by women from diverse cultures. A topic difficult for its breadth, depth and complexity - like our cultures and identities themselves. Made more difficult by the variety of women's experiences and the way we choose to define 'contribution.'

Commission - General

Media Centre - Speeches

The ºÚÁÏÇ鱨վ publishes a comprehensive collection of speeches delivered by present and historical Commissioners including the President. These speeches cover a wide range of topics, from groundbreaking announcements and strategic initiatives to insightful commentary on...

Commission - General

INCORPORATING HUMAN RIGHTS PRINCIPLES INTO NATIONAL SECURITY MEASURES

Since the terrorist attacks on September 11 2001, Governments around the world have created a raft of new counter-terrorism laws. In Australia alone, over 40 new laws have created new criminal offences, new detention and questioning powers for police and security apparatus, new powers for the Attorney-General to proscribe terrorist organisations, new ways to control people’s movement and activities without criminal convictions, and new investigative powers for police and security agencies.

Commission - General

20 Years of Mandatory Immigration Detention: the imperative for community-based arrangements for those who seek Australia’s protection

Thank you for your kind introduction. I wish to start today by acknowledging the Kaurna People of the Adelaide Plains, the traditional owners of the land on which we are meeting. On behalf of the ºÚÁÏÇ鱨վ, I pay my respects to their elders past and present.

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.

Commission - General

President speech: Keynote address to VIEW Clubs of Australia

Keynote address to VIEW Clubs of Australia The Hon Catherine Branson QC VIEW Annual National Convention 19 September 2009 Good morning. I would like to acknowledge the Kaurna people, the traditional owners of the land upon which we meet, and pay my respect to their elders past and present. I am...

Commission - General

President speeches: How to Proactively Manage Workplace Grievances

Ladies and Gentlemen I am very pleased to be at the Catholic Independent Schools Employment Relations Committee Conference. Occasions such as this one allow me, as President of the Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, to share with a very influential group my thoughts about how we can all better manage the complexity and diversity of today’s working environments.

Commission - General

Human Rights - Refugees and Terrorists - What Rights?

It is a great pleasure to be speaking today with Judge Clifford Wallace. I had the pleasure of meeting him on several occasions at Judges' conferences in the Pacific. I was very sorry to miss him when he was in Adelaide in 2003.