Australian Human Rights Commission
e-bulletin
December 2010
Welcome
Welcome to the December issue of the Australian Human Rights Commission's monthly e-bulletin, where we will keep you up-to-date with our latest programs, projects and news.
This is the final e-bulletin for 2010. The e-bulletin will return for 2011 in mid-February.
The President and Commissioners wish you all a happy, safe and restful festive season.
Please forward to friends and colleagues who have an interest in human rights and social justice issues.
In this e-bulletin
- Commission calls again for end to mandatory detention in statement on Darwin visit
- High calibre nominations deliver top shelf winners in this year's Human Rights Medals and Awards
- Help now available to bring Declaration to life
- See below for more...
Commission calls again for end to mandatory detention in statement on Darwin visit
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Asti Motel accommodation block |
Commission President and Human Rights Commissioner Catherine Branson QC, has raised concerns about the high numbers of families with children and unaccompanied minors being held for longer periods of time in immigration detention facilities in Darwin, following the Commission’s visit to the facilities in September.
She has also called on the Australian Government to stop using the Asti Motel as an immigration detention facility as soon as possible.
“There were more than 170 people detained in the Asti Motel when we visited in September, including more than 80 young children and unaccompanied minors,” she said.
“It is a very cramped environment. The outdoor areas are all paved or concrete and there are no open grassy areas for children to play.”
Ms Branson said the Commission continued to have serious concerns about Australia’s mandatory immigration detention system, including in particular, the increasing length of time people were spending in immigration detention and the impacts of prolonged and indefinite detention on people’s mental health.
The Commission’s statement can be found at www.humanrights.gov.au/human_rights/immigration/idc2010_darwin.html
High calibre nominations deliver top shelf winners in this year’s Human Rights Medals and Awards
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Stars of the TV program, Football United, accept the Award in the Television category |
A pool of outstanding nominations helped to make the 2010 Human Rights Medals and Awards ceremony one of the best ever, Commission President Catherine Branson QC said.
“More than 200 nominations were received from all areas of Australia and from people in all walks of life,” she said.
“A lifetime of dedication to helping people reach their full potential delivered the prestigious Human Rights Medal for 2010 to Thérèse Rein.
“The judges selected Ms Rein for her long-term dedication to human rights, especially the rights of people with disability.”
Twenty-five year old Jack Manning Bancroft was awarded the Human Rights Young People’s Medal for his efforts in improving opportunities for young Indigenous Australians.
“Jack established the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience while still at university by recruiting 25 Indigenous and non-Indigenous university mentors from Sydney University to partner one-on-one with 25 local school students.
AIME has been operating now for six years, and provides mentoring to approximately 1000 Indigenous students from High Schools across three states.
For a full list of Award winners go to: www.humanrights.gov.au/hr_awards/winners.html
To view photos go to: www.flickr.com/photos/23930202@N06/sets/72157625469623633/
Videos from the awards are online at: www.humanrights.gov.au/hr_awards/video.html
Help now available to bring Declaration to life
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Commissioner Mick Gooda with 'Equality' mural artists, a project led by the Gangari organisation with help from Glebe PCYC. |
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Mick Gooda has launched an overview and community guide to help communities apply the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
“These materials will help to lift the concepts of the Declaration off the page and make them real for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples,” Commissioner Gooda said.
“These are rights many Australians take for granted but the reality is that many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are still being taught in classrooms with dirt floors, or living in overcrowded housing where water and sewerage facilities are second rate.
“These materials will help give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their communities a starting point from which they can work to bring about practical improvements in their lives,” he said.
“As we enter a potentially history making period in Australia with growing support to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in our Constitution, we should be looking to the Declaration as a platform upon which we can build a truly reconciled Australia.”
Recent media releases
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Concerns raised about Darwin immigration detention facilities (14 December 2010)
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Help on hand to bring over 20 years of hard work to life (13 December 2010)
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Business takes up human rights (13 December 2010)
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Lifetime of dedication delivers Human Rights Medal to Thérèse Rein (10 December 2010)
Recent publications
Recent speeches
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2010 Human Rights Day Oration
Delievered by the Hon Catherine Branson, Sydney, 10 December 2010 -
National Disability Strategies as tools for implementing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Graeme Innes, Australian Disabiilty Discrimination Commissioner,
Centre for disability law and policy, University College Galway, Ireland, 9 December 2010: delivered via video link -
Gold Coast Centre against Sexual Violence: Official Opening
Delivered by Elizabeth Broderick, Sex Discrimination Commission, Southport, Qld, 26 November 2010,
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NSW Teachers Federation Council Meeting
Speech by Mick Gooda, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Surry Hills, NSW, 20 November 2010
Recent podcasts
Episode 23 - Immigration detention – (6 December) – Catherine Branson QC
Commission President and Human Rights Commissioner, Catherine Branson QC joins Race and Disability Discrimination Commissioner, Graeme Innes to discuss the human rights issues involved in Australia's immigration detention system.
Episode 22 - UN Women – (22 November) – Julie McKayThe UN General Assembly created UN Women in July 2010, in response to a call driven by the Gender Equality Architecture Reform (GEAR) campaign in 2006, for action for a separate entity for gender within the UN. In this instalment of Pod Rights, Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Elizabeth Broderick, speaks to Executive Director of UNIFEM Australia, Julie McKay, who gives an overview of the campaign, outlines the role of the new body within the UN system and discusses the work of the National Committee for UN Women in Australia and our region.
Go to www.humanrights.gov.au/podcasts for audios and transcripts of all Pod Rights.
Get involved - upcoming events
For the latest media releases, speeches, opinion pieces, go to the media centre on the Commission’s website at: www.humanrights.gov.au/about/media/
