News

Disability Rights

Presentation to University of NSW

To set the scene for my presentation this afternoon, I want to share two autobiographical fragments with you, both of them having to do with my experience at university.

Commission – General

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Amongst all this expertise, it is fair to ask why is the President of the national human rights commission – and particularly a President who has only fairly recently commenced in this role - here presenting the keynote speech to such a conference?

Disability Rights

Keynote address: Creating Welcoming School Communities (2009)

26 years ago, on this day in 1973, the first call was made on a mobile phone other than a car phone, when Martin Cooper, a Motorola executive shocked New Yorkers by walking down the street talking into a shoe-shaped handset. We've moved a long way since then, when there are more mobile phones in Australia than people, and phone calls are just one of the many things that they now do.

Disability Rights

Reasonable adjustment

It's important for us all in talking about reasonable adjustment not to appear to present employing people with disability as something new or exceptional being asked of employers.

Disability Rights

The Disability Discrimination Act and the rights of people with disabilities

I recently returned from attending a United Nations meeting, where work is progressing on the development of an International Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities.

Disability Rights

Is the placement of young people with high support needs in nursing homes a breach of their human rights?

Allow me to commence by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet today, and by so doing remind ourselves that Australia's cultural traditions stretch back many thousands of years. I acknowledge also people with disabilities here together with advocates and other conference participants.

Disability Rights

Victorian launch of the Companion Card

As Federal Acting Disability Discrimination Commissioner, I'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Victorian Government and venues that have supported the Companion Card concept.

Sex Discrimination

National Press Club - Getting Women off the Bench: A Gender Equality Blueprint for 2010

It is over a year ago, that I stood here for the first time, amidst an economic downturn and wondered whether the long awaited Paid Parental Leave scheme would end up on the cutting room floor.

Sex Discrimination

Accumulating poverty: Women’s experiences of inequality over the lifecycle (2009)

My father first took me to the Institute of Public Affairs as it was then known, before Anne and Gerard Henderson revolutionised it as the Sydney Institute. I remember the topic was “Should Australia have an Aircraft Carrier?” I sat next to an English engineer who was on the first nuclear submarine. He spend 4 months submerged near the Russian base of Murmansk. There was absolute radio silence and he didn’t learn of the birth of his daughter until he returned to England many months later.

Sex Discrimination

Women and Racism Forum: A Discussion on the United Nations World Conference Against Racism

Commissioner Bill Jonas has already talked about the upcoming World Conference Against Racism and the importance of using this opportunity to speak out against racism, xenophobia and intolerance. As the Sex Discrimination Commissioner I believe that we should use the World Conference Against Racism to adopt a gender-based approach to the analysis of racism. Australia is one of the most ethnically diverse nations in the world. Women make up over half of Australia's population.

Business and Human Rights

Human Rights and Corporate Social Responsibility (2009)

In our new strategic plan we commit to 'motivating big business to incorporate human rights into their everyday business practice'.

Rights and Freedoms

Diversity in Health 2003: Dr Sev Ozdowski OAM

Conference Convenors and Co-directors, distinguished guests from both Australia and overseas, ladies and gentlemen, all. I would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we stand and by so doing remind ourselves that Australia’s cultural traditions stretch back many thousands of years.