Indigenous

Indigenous Rights: Special Rapporteur Releases Report on Country Visit to Australia (March 2009)

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights of Indigenous people has released a
key report on the severe disadvantage suffered by Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.  
The Special Rapporteur’s report focuses on the need for the Australian Government to ensure that Aboriginal people are included in decision making about matters that affect [...]

Indigenous Rights: Special Rapporteur releases report on Northern Territory Emergency Response (Feb 2010)

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights of Indigenous peoples, James Anaya, has released an advance copy of his Observations on the Northern Territory Emergency Response.  The report follows Mr Anaya’s official visit to Australia in August last year.
While the Special Rapporteur acknowledges Australia’s efforts to address the conditions faced by many Aboriginal communities in the [...]

Indigenous Rights: Proposed Amendments to the Northern Territory Intervention (Feb 2010)

The Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee is conducting an inquiry into legislation currently before Parliament that seeks to reinstate the operation of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 and expand income management to apply across the whole of Australia. 
The Centre has made a submission to the Inquiry that considers the human rights principles and standards that [...]

Indigenous Rights: Federal Government Must Immediately Reinstate the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Nov 2009)

In a letter to the Prime Minister, the Attorney General and Minister Macklin, the Human Rights Law Resource Centre has strongly urged the Rudd Government to immediately reinstate the operation of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth) to apply to all measures of the Northern Territory Intervention.  The letter has been endorsed by more than [...]

Indigenous Rights: Submission on Compulsory Acquisition of Alice Springs Town Camps (Oct 2009)

In a submission to the Indigenous Affairs Minister, the Hon Jenny Macklin MP, the Human Rights Law Resource Centre has strongly urged the Minister not to exercise her discretionary power to compulsorily acquire Aboriginal town camps in Alice Springs. 
In August this year, the Minister wrote to Alice Springs town camp residents giving notice of her proposal to [...]

Indigenous Rights: Request for Urgent Action on NT Intervention from UN CERD (Sept 2009)

The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (’CERD’) has requested that the Australian Government take urgent action to ensure that the Northern Territory Intervention complies with Australia’s obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.  
In an Urgent Action Letter to Australia dated 13 March 2009, the Committee [...]

Equality and Indigenous Rights: Submission on Draft Alice Springs (Management of Public Space) Bylaws (Aug 2009)

In August 2009, the Human Rights Law Resource Centre made a Submission to the Alice Springs Town Council in relation to the draft Alice Springs (Management of Public Places) Bylaws 2009.
The HRLRC considers that the following provisions contained within the Proposed Bylaws raise serious human rights concerns for persons in the Alice Springs community:

the provision relating [...]

Indigenous Rights: Submission on Review of Northern Territory Emergency Response (Aug 2008)

In August 2008, the Centre made a Submission to the Northern Territory Emergency Response Review Board in relation to the practical implications of the Northern Territory Emergency Response legislative package and related implementation measures.
The submission identifies particular human rights issues arising from the NTER and recommends that a human rights approach be taken in the [...]

Indigenous Rights: Australia Urged to Endorse UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (May 2008)

In May 2008, the Human Rights Law Resource Centre and the Indigenous Law Centre sent a joint letter to the Australian Government regarding its position on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
The letter welcomes the Australian Government’s commitment to consult with stakeholders about reversing its opposition to the Declaration and strongly recommends that [...]

Tom Calma – ‘Indigenous Rights and the Debate over a Charter of Rights in Australia’, Speech to Human Rights Law Resource Centre Annual Dinner (4 April 2008)

Tom Calma (National Race Commissioner and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner), ‘Indigenous Rights and the Debate over a Charter of Rights in Australia’, Speech to Human Rights Law Resource Centre Annual Dinner, 4 April 2008.
 

Indigenous Rights: Land Management and Cultural Practices (Oct 2007)

In conjunction with Native Title Services Victoria and DLA Phillips Fox, on 8 October 2007, the Centre made a Submission to the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council regarding Indigenous land management and cultural practices in the River Red Gums Forests.
The submission considers the application of the rights and obligations contained in the Charter of Human Rights and [...]

Indigenous Rights: Submission to Senate Inquiry into NT ‘Emergency Response’ Bills (Aug 2007)

On 10 August 2007, the Centre made a submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee Inquiry into the Northern Territory National Emergency Response Bill 2007 and Related Bills.
The submission focuses on the potential impact of the proposed legislation on Australia’s international human rights obligations, incuding in relation to the rights to non-discrimination, adequate [...]

Indigenous Rights: Request for Country Visit from UN Special Rapporteur (Nov 2006)

On 30 November 2006, the Human Rights Law Resource Centre, on behalf of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Legal Services Network, the Castan Centre for Human Rights, the Foundation for Aboriginal and Islander Research and Action, the Human Rights Law Resource Centre, the National Association of Community Legal Centres Human Rights Network, the North [...]

Papers from Achieving Social Justice for Indigenous Australians Seminar (1 August 2006)

Professor Larissa Behrendt, ‘Achieving Social Justice for Indigenous Australians’
Brian Walters SC, ‘Indigenous Peoples and the Right to Self-Determination’
Mark Leibler AC, ‘Achieving Social Justice for Indigenous Australians’