Australian Human Rights Commission
e-bulletin
February 2011
Welcome
Welcome to the February 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 first e-bulletin for 2011.
Please forward to friends and colleagues who have an interest in human rights and social justice issues.
In this e-bulletin
- Commission remains concerned about kids in detention
- Granville meets High School Musical star
- Trust and respect crucial in overcoming Indigenous disadvantage
- Australia commits to follow up on human rights recommendations
- See below for more...
Commission remains concerned about kids in detention
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Soccer pitch, Leonora immigration detention facility |
The Commission’s 2011 Immigration detention in Leonora summary report of its visit to the facility in November last year, highlights once again the impacts of prolonged and indefinite detention in remote locations, especially on children.
Commission President Catherine Branson QC said the Commission held concerns about children in detention who had limited access to the basics necessary for their healthy psychological and physical development.
“The Commission acknowledges the efforts of staff at the Leonora detention facility, who are working in challenging conditions,” Ms Branson said.
“The conditions in the facility highlight the need for the government to act as quickly as possible to implement its initiative of moving some families and unaccompanied minors into community detention.
“This should be reinforced by changes to ensure that in future, children will not be detained in the first place unless it is truly a measure of last resort.”
She said it was becoming more urgent for the Australian Government to reconsider the current system of mandatory detention without set time limits.
The Commission’s summary report is available at www.humanrights.gov.au/human_rights/immigration/idc2011_leonora.html
Granville meets High School Musical star
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Monique Coleman with Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick at Granville South High School |
UN Youth Champion and star of the High School Musical Movies – Monique Coleman recently took her message of youth empowerment to western Sydney.
Best known for her character Taylor McKessie in the ‘High School Musical’ movies, and her role as Mary-Margaret on ‘The Suite Life of Zack and Cody’, Monique was mobbed by hundreds of students from Granville South High on her recent joint visit with the Australian Human Rights Commission.
Monique and Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick also met with the young people of ‘Football United’, a program that brings together Australian refugee kids through soccer.
Monique has paid her own way to Australia to talk to young people about finding positive outlets for their passion.
In Monique’s case it was acting that helped her get her life together.
“I was a person who could have gone either way. I could have been a little destructive and crazy or artistic and passionate,” Monique said.
She is travelling across the country, visiting schools and a wide range of community organisations, including Indigenous communities.
A highlights video of Monique's visit to Granville South High School can be seen at Visit to Granville South High school
Trust and respect crucial in overcoming Indigenous disadvantage
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Commissioner Mick Gooda at the Social Justice and Native Title reports launch |
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Mick Gooda has emphasised that building positive relationships based on trust and mutual respect between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the broader Australian community is critical to overcoming Indigenous disadvantage.
In his first Social Justice and Native Title reports, he outlines the priorities for his term and makes the case for full implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
He also highlights the work of the local Fitzroy Valley communities in Western Australia in dealing with alcohol misuse and related social and health problems, including Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, in an effort to show governments around the nation a way to reform the way they do business.
“It is quite simple. Governments will be more effective if they develop service delivery models in collaboration with local communities,” Commissioner Gooda said.
He says more meaningful and effective consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is necessary in the area of native title law and policy.
“Creating a just and fair native title system through law and policy reform requires effective engagement between governments and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.”
- A highlights video of the launch can be seen at www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNpDc3brlOk
- Vox Pops from the launch can be seen at www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VR4et4I6q8
- Flickr photo gallery of the launch
The 2010 Social Justice can be found at www.humanrights.gov.au/social_justice/sj_report/sjreport10/ and the Native Title Reports at www.humanrights.gov.au/social_justice/nt_report/ntreport10/
Australia commits to follow up on human rights recommendations
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Andrew McLeod (AFL) and Commission President Catherine Branson QC at the UPR in Geneva |
The report of Australia’s appearance before a crucial UN human rights meeting in Geneva has highlighted racism, the rights of Indigenous peoples, and mandatory detention policies as key focus areas for Australia into the future.
Australia now has until June to formally respond to the 145 recommendations made by the international community in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process.
Commission President Catherine Branson QC welcomed the recommendations as well as a series of voluntary pledges made by the Australian Government in the UPR process.
“Recommendations made by the international community offer us guidance and a fresh perspective on human rights priorities in Australia," Ms Branson said.
“The Commission is particularly pleased that the Australian Government has agreed to use the outcome of our UPR to inform the development of Australia’s National Human Rights Action Plan."
The UPR also identified the need for Australia to improve responses to violence against women and children and to incorporate its international human rights obligations into domestic law.
Go to www.un.org.au/Universal-Periodic-Review-news298.aspx to see the Draft report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review.
Recent media releases
- Multiculturalism policy welcomed (16 February 2011)
- National violence plan a landmark moment (15 February 2011)
- National Disability Strategy welcomed as commitment to change for human rights (14 February 2011)
- First Social Justice and Native Title Reports lay groundwork for year of change (11 February 2011)
Recent publications
- 2011 Immigration detention in Leonora (2011)
- Social Justice Report 2010 (2011)
- Native Title Report 2010 (2011)
Recent speeches
- Launch of the 2010 Social Justice and Native Title Reports
Delivered by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Mick Gooda,
Turner Hall, Sydney, 11 February 2011 - 2010 Human Rights Day Oration
Delivered by the Hon Catherine Branson, Sydney, 10 December 2010
Recent podcasts
Episode 2, 2011 - UN Youth – (14 February 2011) - Monique Coleman and Samah Hadid
Monique Coleman is a Hollywood actress who has starred in films such as High School Musical, in which she played Tyler McKessie. She is also the UN Youth Ambassador. Recently, Monique came to the Commission and spoke with 2010 Australian Youth representative to the UN, Samah Hadid, and Race and Disability Discrimination Commissioner, Graeme Innes about her role as Youth Ambassador, her commitment to youth advocacy work and the 'Gimme Mo' project.
Episode 1, 2011 - Counter-terrorism laws – (7 February 2011) - Nicola McGarrity
Nicola McGarrity, the Director of the Terrorism and Law Project at the Gilbert and Tobin Centre of Public Law, talks to Race and Disability Discrimination Commissioner Graeme Innes about Australia’s counter-terrorism laws and the impacts of these laws on our human rights.
Go to www.humanrights.gov.au/podcasts for audios and transcripts of all Pod Rights.
Get involved - upcoming events
- March 8: International Women's Day
- March 10: How far have we come in our efforts to 'close the gap', National Press Club address by Mick Gooda and Dr Tom Calma
- March 21: Harmony Day
- April 18: Equal rights for people with a disability
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/
