4. Our Legislation and Functions 4.1 Legislation We are a body corporate established by the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth) (AHRC Act). We are a Corporate Commonwealth Entity under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (Cth). It is our duty under our establishing legislation to ensure that our statutory functions are performed efficiently and with the greatest possible benefit to the people of Australia with regard to the indivisibility and universality of human rights, and the principle that every person is born free and equal in dignity and rights. 4.2 Functions The Commission’s functions include: (a) Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth) (AHRC Act). • • • • • • • 10 to inquire into, and attempt to conciliate, complaints of unlawful discrimination inquire into any act or practice that may be inconsistent with or contrary to any human right, and to give effect to settlement of such matters by way of conciliation where the Commission considers it appropriate to do so to deal with complaints made to the Commission under the AHRC Act to promote an understanding and acceptance, and the public discussion, of human rights in Australia to undertake and coordinate research and educational programs on behalf of the Commonwealth to promote human rights to report to the Minister as to the laws that should be made by the Parliament, or action that should be taken by the Commonwealth, on matters relating to human rights examine enactments, proposed enactments and or international instruments for determining consistency with human rights and international instruments • • to prepare, and to publish guidelines for the avoidance of acts or practices of a kind in respect of which the Commission has a function where the Commission considers it appropriate to do so, with the leave of the court hearing the proceedings and subject to any conditions imposed by the court, to intervene in proceedings that involve human rights issues Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Under the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth) (AHRC Act), the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner undertakes social justice education and promotional activities and may report to the Minister on the exercise and enjoyment of human rights of Indigenous peoples. The Commissioner may report under the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) on the operation of the AHRC Act and its effect on the exercise and enjoyment of human rights of Indigenous peoples. In addition, the Commissioner reports, when requested by the Minister, on any other matter relating to the rights of Indigenous peoples under this Act. National Children’s Commissioner Under the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth), the National Children’s Commissioner may report to the Minister on the enjoyment and exercise of human rights by children in Australia. Additionally, the Commission holds the functions conferred on it by the various Commonwealth Acts concerning discrimination, as set out below. (b) Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth) (RDA) The Commission’s functions under the RDA include: • • to promote an understanding and acceptance of, and compliance with the RDA to develop, conduct and foster research and educational programs for the purposes of combatting racial discrimination and prejudices