This plan provides a long-term, evidence-based policy framework as part of the overarching Council of Australian Governments’ (COAG) approach to Closing the Gap in Indigenous disadvantage, which has been set out in the National Indigenous Reform Agreement (NIRA) signed in 2008. The NIRA has established a framework of national targets and policy building blocks.

In this year’s Report, the Commissioner review developments in the enjoyment and exercise of human rights by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples between 1 July 2011 – 30 June 2012 (the reporting period). The report also focusses on the theme of governance, giving consideration to what enables effective, legitimate and culturally relevant governance in...

The theme of the Social Justice report for 2011 relates directly to the Commissioner’s priorities concerning the relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples within their communities and giving full effect to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (the Declaration). This is also in line with the Australian Human Rights...

The 2011 annual Garma Festival was staged from Friday 5 August and the closing ceremony concluded the afternoon of Monday 8th August. The Key Forum theme was Academic Excellence & Cultural Integrity, a topic that flowed on from the 2010 Key Theme of Indigenous Education & Training.

This report presents the observations of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people, James Anaya, on the Northern Territory Emergency Response (“NTER”) program in Australia, in advance of reforms to the NTER that are anticipated in 2010.