Australian Human Rights Commission
Australia and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial
Discrimination (ICERD), Shadow report to the CERD Committee – 8 July 2010
and (II) employer compliance with the working conditions and standards protecting
vulnerable migrant workers from exploitation.
Recommendation 42: That the Australian Government routinely provide targeted
information about the rights of migrant workers, including options to lodge complaints
and seek remedy without intimidation.
Recommendation 43: That the Australian Government ratify the International
Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of
Their Families.
Recommendation 44: That the Australian Government consider making
discrimination on the basis of religion and belief unlawful in the consolidation of its
federal anti-discrimination laws.
Recommendation 45: That the Australian Government ratify the Optional Protocol to
the Convention against Torture (OPCAT). 164
Recommendation 46: That the Australian Government implement the remaining
recommendations of A last resort? in order to address ongoing concerns about the
situation of children under Australia’s immigration detention system. 165
Recommendation 47: That the Australian Government cease the practice of holding
people in immigration detention on Christmas Island, and repeal the provisions of the
Migration Act relating to excised offshore places. 166
Recommendation 48: That the Australian Government promptly lift the suspension on
new refugee claims by asylum seekers from Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.
1
The Commission officially changed its name in August 2009 to distinguish us from state and territory
commissions and other National Human Rights Institutions.
2
Australian Social Inclusion Board, Compendium of Social Inclusion Indicators, pxii. At
http://www.socialinclusion.gov.au/AusGov/Board/Documents/Compendium.pdf (viewed at 10
September 2009).
3
House of Representatives, Official Hansard No.1 , Forty second Parliament, First Session, First
Period (13 February 2008), p167. At http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard/reps/dailys/dr130208.pdf (viewed
10 June 2008).
4
J Macklin, Statement on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples,
Parliament House, Canberra (3 April 2009). At
http://www.jennymacklin.fahcsia.gov.au/internet/jennymacklin.nsf/content/un_declaration_03apr09.htm
(viewed 18 May 2010).
5
The six Closing the Gap targets include:
•
Close the gap in life expectancy within a generation;
•
Halve the gap in mortality rates for Indigenous children under five within a decade;
•
Halve the gap for Indigenous students in reading, writing and numeracy within a decade;
•
At least halve the gap for Indigenous students in year 12 attainment or equivalent attainment
rates by 2020;
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