Australian Human Rights Commission Annual Report November 2022 we had approximately 30% fewer staff than at its beginning. Our current staffing is not adequate to meet our statutory obligations properly, and decisions about the Commission’s budget taken in 2022–23 will be critical in determining our capacity as an agency, and potentially, our international standing and status. Those decisions will also be essential to ensure that we have independent capacity to support the work of our statutory Commissioners and address the exponential increase in discrimination and human rights complaints received over recent years. Despite these challenges, we have continued to contribute to the protection and promotion of human rights at the national level over the course of the financial year. As an example, when the Government needed an independent, robust mechanism to examine the culture of the Australian Parliament as a workplace, it put its trust in the Commission to deliver it. Led by the Sex Discrimination Commissioner, the Commission’s Set the Standard inquiry and report has launched a process of significant cultural reform of this key institution in our democracy. Related reforms are also being implemented in response to the Commission’s earlier Respect@Work report, to ensure the scourge of sexual harassment can be more effectively tackled through law and cultural reform initiatives. It is telling that when the Government needed to ensure public confidence and trust in its response to allegations of abuse within the Parliament, it is the Commission to whom it turned. This trust was built due to previous work, such as the Respect@Work report, successive national prevalence studies on sexual harassment, and cultural reform partnerships across key areas such as the Australian Defence Force. This inquiry was only possible due to a significant, single purpose short-term injection of funding to the Commission. It is a powerful example of what a properly funded Commission can achieve. In her first full year at the Commission, the National Children’s Commissioner focused on systems reform to improve child wellbeing and ensure the ‘voices’ of children and families inform the design of policy that is meant to help them. Key reports included ‘Keeping Kids Safe and Well’ and ‘Mental health shapes my life: COVID and Kids’ Wellbeing’. She convened multidisciplinary roundtables, and contributed to policy development on several national strategies affecting children and young people, especially those living with poverty and disadvantage. The Government announced funding for the National Children’s Commissioner to 19