Opinion Pieces / Articles

This section contains articles and opinion pieces by the various Commissioners and staff of the Australian Human Rights Commission.

The following opinion pieces have been published by the President and Commissioners. Reproduction of the opinion pieces must include reference to where the opinion piece was originally published.

Catherine Branson QC - President, Australian Human Rights Commission and Human Rights Commissioner

Treating asylum seekers well is in all our interests
Published in The National Times, Thursday 23 June 2011
Foundation for prosperous, peaceful nation - The Multiculturalism Debate
Published in The Australian, Saturday 19 February 2011
The lives of far too many Australians are blighted by violence, harassment and bullying
Published in Online Opinion, Monday, 13 December 2010
All people have a fundamental human right to seek asylum from persecution
Published in Online Opinion, Tuesday, 2 November 2010
Why doing the ‘rights’ thing is good for business
Published in Ethical Investor magazine, Oct/Nov 2009
Everyone needs a safety net at some point in their lives
Published in The Age, 17 June 2009
Stand on your rights, or see them trampled
Published in The West Australian, 08 May 2009
Take judges out of human rights process
Published in The Australian, 08 May 2009
Preventing injustice before it can happen – Let’s bring human rights home
Published in Sydney Morning Herald, 10 December 2008
Don Dunstan Oration - Opinion piece
Human rights: creating a society we can be proud of
Published in The Advertiser, 28 November 2008

Ms Elizabeth Broderick, Sex Discrimination Commissioner

Business must face up to domestic violence
Published in The Drum, Thursday 8 December 2011
An attitude that shows disrespect
Published in The National Times, Thursday 7 April 2011
Bystanders must join fight against bullying
Published in The Newcastle Herald, Wednesday, 23 March 2011
When domestic violence comes to work
Published in The Punch, Tuesday 8 March 2011
Quotas could build critical mass
Published in The Australian Financial Review, Thursday, 18 November 2010
Will sexual harassment ever be eliminated?
Published in The Sydney Morning Herald, Saturday, 6 November 2010.
Another step closer to gender equality
Published in The Newcastle Herald, 22 October 2010
Women in sport hit the grass ceiling
Published in The Age, 21 May 2010
Mandatory quotas may be needed on boards
Published in Australian Financial Review, 8 April 2010
Discrimination occurs against older workers
Published in The Newcastle Herald, 5 February 2010
The Boardroom is no longer a closed shop
Published in The Sun-Herald, 27 December 2009.
Make room at the table for women
Published in The Australian Financial Review, 29 October 2009.
Why gender quotas would help Australian business
Published in The Punch, 16 October 2009.
Older people and employment: the invisible discrimination
Published in The National Times, 1 October 2009
Time for action on parental leave
Published in The Age, 10 April 2009
Women on the verge of recession
Published in The Ruby Connection, 18 March 2009
Make Australia work: Working women deserve better
Published in Business Spectator, 30 January 2009
Maternity leave scheme is a must
Published in The Sunday Age, 23 November 2008
Maternity leave is a must
Published in The Courier Mail, 21 November 2008
The 'burden' that should be a blessing
Published in Australian Financial Review, 1 October 2008
Small business needs to think big about paid maternity leave
Published in Sydney Morning Herald, 18 June 2008
Time to Adjust the work-life balance
Published in The Australian, 11 April 2008
Maternity scheme is overdue
Published in The Age, 8 April 2008
Time to induce paid maternity leave
Published in The Newcastle Herald, 28 February 2008
Profession should be re-engineered to help women reach the top
Published in The Australian, 8 February 2008
Improper sexual behaviour still rife
Published in The Canberra Times, 6 February 2008
Let’s not take another quarter century to end sexual harassment
Published in The Advertiser, 11 January 2008
Flexibility the key to a better work environment
Published in Sydney Morning Herald,21 Decemeber 2007
Women's business is everyone's business
Published in the Sydney Morning Herald, 8 October 2007

Mr Mick Gooda, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner

Indigenous inclusion is good for our constitution
Published in The Sydney Morning Herald, Friday 9 July 2010
Real people affected by racist taunts
Published in The National Times, Friday 18 June 2010
Seeing reconciliation through is an ongoing challenge but ultimately rewarding
Published in ABC's The Drum, 02 June 2010
New National Congress has every chance of being an organisation of which we can be proud
Published in Koori Mail, 06 May 2010

Mr Graeme Innes AM, Disability Discrimination Commissioner

Three's company for Jetstar
Published in ABC Ramp Up, Thursday 25 August 2011
Are we a racist nation? No, but…
Published in the Sydney Morning Herald, Tuesday 9 August 2011
NBN will build a bridge for disabled
Published in The Daily Telegraph, Thursday 4 August 2011
Budget gets it right for people with a disability
Published in The Australian, Thursday 19 May 2011.
Human rights: everyone, everywhere, everyday
Published in ABC Unleashed, Tuesday 29 March 2011
Smart and perceptive? Don't bank on it
Published in ABC Ramp Up, Thursday 9 February 2011
Don't forget the disabled in flood reconstruction
Published in The Punch, Friday 10 February 2011
Lights, camera, action for the first time in my life
Published in The Daily Telegraph, Wednesday 12 January 2011
Humanity, Equality and Destiny?
Published in ABC's The Drum, 15 October 2010
Still judged by skin colour
Publication: The Age, Monday 21 June 2010
Opening a door on the bleak truth of homelesssness
Published in The Daily Telegraph, Friday 18 June 2010
Are we really the secular nation we think we are?
Published in The Punch, 20 November 2009
The path to social inclusion
Published in SX Magazine, 14 May 2009
Bikies had no answer as blind justice took over
Published in The Daily Telegraph, 23 January 2009
Scrutinising our counter-terrorism laws
Published in On Line Opinion, 06 November 2008
Delay in same-sex fairness is wrong
Published in The Canberra Times, 20 June 2008 and Gay Destination, 26 June 2008
Protecting Australian’s rights
Published in On Line Opinion, 28 April 2008
A question of human rights
Published in The Age, 17 April 2008
Immigration detention laws need reviewing
Published in The Newcastle Herald, 17 January 2008.
It's hard to argue against equality
Published in On Line Opinion, 1 March 2007

Ms Susan Ryan, Age Discrimination Commissioner

Remove age discrimination, and we’ll have more financially independent older people and a more productive economy
Published in The Equality Law Reform Project, 10 October 2011
Can we seriously say that 50 is too old to work?
Published in The Punch, Saturday 1 October 2011

Opinion pieces from previous commissioners

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