Wednesday, 26 March 2008
Listening Tour moves on to the Northern Territory
Territorians have the chance to have their say on building a fair and equal society for women and men in Australia with the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission’s (HREOC) ‘Listening Tour’ which kicked off in Darwin yesterday (25 March).
Sex Discrimination Commissioner and Commissioner responsible for Age Discrimination, Elizabeth Broderick, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner and Acting Race Discrimination Commissioner, Tom Calma, joined with the Northern Territory Anti-Discrimination Commission and the NT Legal Aid Commission, in the first ‘Listening Tour’ consultation yesterday in Darwin. The consultation was part of Commissioner Broderick’s national ‘Listening Tour’.
“The Tour is an opportunity for people all over Australia to make their voices heard on the issues that matter to them,” Ms Broderick said.
“We had a vibrant conversation about the unique challenges in the NT on the three themes of the tour - economic independence for women, work and family balance across the life cycle, and freedom from discrimination, harassment and violence.”
Information from this consultation will be used to inform the agenda for Commissioner Broderick’s five-year term.
The ‘Listening Tour’ includes a companion virtual tour, featuring an interactive website with a blog, case studies and videos. There is also a regular diary entry from the Commissioner on her findings as the tour progresses. The ‘Listening Tour’ can be found online at www.humanrights.gov.au/listeningtour/
The Commissioners will also be visiting a number of 'town camp' urban Indigenous communities and meeting with people living in the ‘longgrass’.
Following Darwin, the Sex Discrimination Commissioner will be in Nhulunbuy and Yirrkala on Thursday 27 March and Friday 28 March.
Media contact: Louise McDermott on (02) 9284 9851 or 0419 258 597
Upcoming 'Listening Tour' dates: Queensland: 14-18 April.
