Free+Equal Conference Panel: L to R, Prof Philip Alston, Prof George Williams, Em Prof Rosalind Croucher, Daney Faddoul, Les Malezer, Dinesh Palipana, Narelda Jacobs. Throughout the PJCHR inquiry, including through submissions and in public hearings, the Commission’s model Human Rights Act was a focal point of the inquiry. 87.3% of submission to the PJCHR inquiry supported a Human Rights Act with 36% (116) of submissions explicitly endorsing the Commission’s model. In its final report, the PJCHR endorsed the Commission’s Human Rights Act model while also suggesting improvements to it. The PJCHR report also endorsed the Commission’s final report recommendations (with one exception: while it extensively noted the Commission’s proposed reforms of federal discrimination law, it did not make a specific recommendation about this). The PJCHR also attached an example national Human Rights Act to its inquiry report that operationalises the Commission’s proposed model. This is a significant development on the path towards a national Human Rights Act and enables future discussions to commence on the basis of draft legislation. In September 2023, the final report of the Disability Royal Commission also gave extensive consideration to the Commission’s proposals from the Free and Equal project. Volume 4 of the final report extensively references the Commission’s work – including by endorsing the Commission’s federal discrimination law reform agenda as it relates to the Disability Discrimination Act 1992. The final report also noted the Commission’s proposed national Human Rights Act, while also noting that this extended beyond the terms of reference of the Royal Commission. It then developed a Disability Rights Act which specifically referenced key elements of the Commission’s Human Rights Act model. The Commission held a national Free and Equal conference on 6-7 June 2024 in Sydney (see outcome 3.2 of the Annual Performance Statement for more information on this event). The reform agenda proposed by the Commission across this multi-year project is wide reaching and has involved detailed technical consideration. When commenced, there was limited appetite from government for such reform. There is now a significant momentum around key elements of the reform agenda. The high level of endorsement of the project’s recommendations by both the PJCHR and Disability Royal Commission are major achievements. However, the focus of the Commission remains on the full implementation of the Free and Equal Report recommendations, as well as those of the Disability Royal Commission and PJCHR. The next financial year will be key in achieving this. Annual Report 2023–2024 • 35