22 November 2001
2001 Human Rights Medal and Awards Ceremony
9 December 2001
Special Guest
Speaker:
University of Melbourne Law Professor Gillian Triggs
When: 2.30-5.30pm, Sunday 9 December 2001
Where: Star
Court, Darling Park, 201 Sussex Street, Sydney
(near corner of Market and Sussex Streets)
Media representatives are invited to cover the event.
Winners have been chosen for the 2001 Human Rights Medal and Awards.
The winners and highly commended entries, selected by independent judging panels, will be announced at a ceremony at Darling Park in Sydney on 9 December, the day before International Human Rights Day.
The high quality of entries for this year's awards has made judging in some categories challenging.
Asylum-seekers and disability issues were the strongest themes in this year's entries, running through almost every category. Indigenous issues - from Indigenous health to the "stolen children" to reconciliation - also continued to feature strongly. There were a substantial number of high quality entries from disability groups, reflecting the constant and often unrecognised work done by people in these organisations.
Please note that all information about winners will be made available to the media before the event but will be strictly embargoed until 9 December.
For further information, see http://www.humanrights.gov.au/hr_awards/index.html
A list of this year's judges is attached for your information.
Media contact: Janine MacDonald (02) 9284 9880 or 0408469347
JUDGES FOR THE HUMAN RIGHTS MEDAL AND AWARDS 2001
Human Rights Medal
- Ian Sinclair - Former National Party of Australia leader
- Elizabeth Evatt (former HR medal winner) - former member of the UN Human Rights Committee
- Jackie Huggins - Deputy Director, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit, University of Queensland
The judges said the standard was very high. They awarded a winner and two highly commended.
Law category (sponsored by the Law Council of Australia)
- Justice Catherine Branson - Federal Court Judge
- Nicholas Cowdery QC - Director of Public Prosecutions, NSW
- Ruth McColl SC - Barrister
The judges chose one winner and two commended.
Community category
- Nick Xynias - former chairman of the Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland; honorary president of the Federation of Ethnic Communities' Council of Australia
- Peter O'Brien - coordinator, Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation
- Faye Druett - disability rights advocate; deputy chairperson of the Disability Council of NSW
The judges awarded a winner and four highly commended.
Arts non-Fiction category
- Jose Borghino -Executive Director, Australia Society of Authors
- Andrew Riemer -Author and Sydney Morning Herald reviewer
The judges choose one winner, and no commendations, but suggested a short list to recognise other entries.
Media category
- Vivian Schenker - Radio National and SBS TV presenter
- Mark Davis - SBS TV journalist and Walkley award winner
- Dr David McKnight - Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Humanities, University of Technology Sydney
The judges choose two entries as equal winners and a highly commended for one entry in each of the radio, TV and press sections.
Last updated 2 December 2001.
