Page 1177 - Week 03 - Thursday, 22 March 2012
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(12) Was the Commission required to deliver on any other cost saving measures; if so, what were they and what was the quantum.
(13) Did the Commission deliver on the savings referred to in part (12); if not, why not; if so, what did the Commission do to achieve it.
(14) What additional resourcing, including accommodation and equipment, would the Commission require were it to become fully independent, with its own appropriation funding.
(15) What is the Commission’s vision in relation to an in-house civil complaints mechanism.
(16) What would be the implications for the courts and tribunal.
(17) Across the various Commission roles, to what extent do commissioners follow up on complaint outcomes and recommendations, for example, the outcomes listed at pages 13-14; if no follow up is done, why not.
(18) Is the Attorney-General able to say whether, in general, the Commission is satisfied as to the action taken in response to the complaint outcomes and recommendations made by the various commissioners.
(19) If the Commission is not satisfied, what further action does it intend to take.
(20) If the Commission does not intend to take further action, why not.
Mr Corbell: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:
1. Under the Human Rights Act 2004, the Human Rights Commission’s functions include reviewing the effect of territory laws on human rights and reporting in writing to the Attorney-General. During the 2010-11 year, the Commission undertook one such review, the Human Rights Audit of the Bimberi Youth Justice Centre. The Human Rights Commissioner made a range of submissions to Government on other issues, which are specified from page 26 onwards of the Human Rights Commission’s Annual Report 2010-11, and include corrections, amendments to workers’ compensation and compulsory third party insurance legislation, working with vulnerable people checks, the Prostitution Act review and gender identity law reform.
2. The Commissioner has a statutory obligation to handle all complaints of unlawful discrimination and consider, and if necessary respond to, public statements encouraging such behaviour. The Commissioner is not aware of any ‘right of a school student to truancy’ but does recommend an amendment to the Human Rights Act to include economic, social and cultural rights, such as the right to education.
3. The Commission has not undertaken research to determine the extent to which rights are respected, promoted and understood in the ACT community, nor the extent to which access to quality services is protected across the ACT. The Commission’s vision is aspirational and it undertakes its functions with a view to moving the community in this direction.
4. On 13 December 2012, the Commission provided a report to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders about progress against the targets of the Reconciliation
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