Australian Human Rights Commission

Australian Human Rights Commission
Commission overview
Formed1986 (1986)
Preceding commission
  • Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
JurisdictionAustralia
HeadquartersSydney
Employees126[1]
Minister responsible
Commission executives
  • Hugh de Kretser, President[2]
  • Katie Kiss, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner[2]
  • Rosemary Kayess, Disability Discrimination Commissioner[2]
  • Lorraine Finlay, Human Rights Commissioner[2]
  • Giridharan Sivaraman, Race Discrimination Commissioner[2]
  • Anna Cody, Sex Discrimination Commissioner[2]
  • Robert Fitzgerald, Age Discrimination Commissioner[2]
Key documents
Websitehumanrights.gov.au

The Australian Human Rights Commission is the national human rights institution of the Commonwealth of Australia, established in 1986 as the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) and renamed in 2008. It is a statutory body funded by, but operating independently of, the Australian Government. It is responsible for investigating alleged infringements of Australia's anti-discrimination legislation in relation to federal agencies.

The Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 articulates the Australian Human Rights Commission's role and responsibilities. Matters that can be investigated by the Commission under the Australian Human Rights Commission Regulations 2019 include discrimination on the grounds of age, medical record, an irrelevant criminal record; disability; marital or relationship status; nationality; sexual orientation; or trade union activity.

  1. ^ "Table 2". APS Statistical Bulletin 2014-15 (Report). Australian Public Service Commission. Archived from the original on 23 April 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "Commissioners and Executive". Australian Human Rights Commission. Retrieved 9 November 2024