Human Rights Medal (Australia)
Encyclopedia
The Human Rights Medal is awarded by the Australian Human Rights Commission each year. It was established in 1987 by the then Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) to recognise the "contribution to Australian society of a wide variety of men and women committed to issues of human rights, social justice and equality". The Australian Human Rights Commission receives nominations for the Human Rights Medal and other award categories, with the choice of recipient made by an independent panel.
The Human Rights Medal is awarded only to an individual who, to be eligible, must have made an outstanding contribution to the promotion and protection of human rights in Australia in at least one of the following areas:
(the entrant must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident).http://www.humanrights.gov.au/about/hr_awards/entry_info.html
The medals are presented at the Commission’s annual Human Rights Medal and Awards ceremony.
In 2008 the Young People’s Human Rights Medal was awarded for the first time.
The Human Rights Medal is awarded only to an individual who, to be eligible, must have made an outstanding contribution to the promotion and protection of human rights in Australia in at least one of the following areas:
- action to overcome discrimination or infringements of human rights within Australia.
- encourage greater harmony between people of different race, sex, sexuality, age or ethnic origin within Australia.
- enhance the rights of Indigenous AustraliansIndigenous AustraliansIndigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
. - promote equal opportunity for people with a disability in Australia.
- increase awareness of issues of injustice or inequality in Australia.
(the entrant must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident).http://www.humanrights.gov.au/about/hr_awards/entry_info.html
The medals are presented at the Commission’s annual Human Rights Medal and Awards ceremony.
In 2008 the Young People’s Human Rights Medal was awarded for the first time.
Recipients of the Human Rights Medal
- 1987 - Rose Colless OAMOrder of AustraliaThe Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
- 1988 - Reverend Dorothy McMahon
- 1989 - Reverend Robert Ridley
- 1990 - Professor Fred HollowsFred HollowsFrederick "Fred" Cossom Hollows, AC was an ophthalmologist who became known for his work in restoring eyesight for countless thousands of people in Australia and many other countries...
ACOrder of AustraliaThe Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"... - 1991 - Justice Michael Kirby AC, CMGOrder of St Michael and St GeorgeThe Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
- 1992 - Eddie MaboEddie MaboEddie Koiki Mabo was a Torres Strait Islander who is known for his role in campaigning for Indigenous land rights and for his role in a landmark decision of the High Court of Australia that overturned the legal fiction of terra nullius which characterised Australian law with regards to land and...
- Reverend Dave Passi - Sam Passi - James Rice - Celuia Mapo Salee - Barbara Hocking - 1993 - No Medal
- 1994 - Dr. Roberta SykesBobbi SykesRoberta "Bobbi" Sykes was an Australian poet and author...
- 1995 - Justice Elizabeth EvattElizabeth EvattElizabeth Andreas Evatt, AC , an emminent Australian reformist lawyer and jurist who sat on numerous national and international tribunals and commissions, was the first Chief Judge of the Family Court of Australia, the first female judge of an Australian federal court, and the first Australian to...
AC - 1996 - Rebecca PetersRebecca PetersRebecca Peters is the former Director of the International Action Network on Small Arms .As chair of the National Coalition for Gun Control at the time of the Port Arthur massacre in 1996, Peters played a key role in the introduction of stricter gun control and gun confiscation, in Australia, an...
- Robert RileyRob RileyRobert Riley was an Aboriginal activist advancing Indigenous issues in Australia.Soon after his birth, he was removed from his family and placed in state care at Sister Kate's in Queens Park, Western Australia. He was almost ten years old before he knew his mother was alive and was reunited with... - 1997 - Dr. Faith BandlerFaith BandlerFaith Bandler, AC also known as Ida Lessing Faith Mussing is an Australian civil rights activist of South Sea Islander heritage. She is a campaigner for the rights of Indigenous Australians and South Sea Islanders. Bandler is best known for her leadership in the campaign for the 1967 referendum on...
AMOrder of AustraliaThe Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"... - 1998 - Vivi Germanos-Koutsounadis
- 1999 - Helen Bayes
- 2000 - Rt Hon. Malcolm FraserMalcolm FraserJohn Malcolm Fraser AC, CH, GCL, PC is a former Australian Liberal Party politician who was the 22nd Prime Minister of Australia. He came to power in the 1975 election following the dismissal of the Whitlam Labor government, in which he played a key role...
AC CHOrder of the Companions of HonourThe Order of the Companions of Honour is an order of the Commonwealth realms. It was founded by King George V in June 1917, as a reward for outstanding achievements in the arts, literature, music, science, politics, industry or religion.... - 2001 - Dr. Arnold "Puggy" Hunter
- 2002 - Michael Raper
- 2003 - Marion Le
- 2004 - Dick EstensDick EstensRichard Lucas "Dick" Estens AO is an Australian cotton farmer and businessman.-Early life:Estens was born in Gilgandra and was brought up on a property close to the town. He was educated at All Saints College in Bathurst...
- Deborah Kilroy - 2005 - Kevin Cocks
- 2006 - Phillip AdamsPhillip AdamsPhillip Andrew Hedley Adams, AO is an Australian broadcaster, film producer, writer, social commentator, satirist and left-wing pundit. He currently hosts a radio program, Late Night Live, four nights a week on the ABC, and he also writes a weekly column for the News Limited-owned newspaper, The...
AOOrder of AustraliaThe Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
- Father Chris RileyChris Riley (Priest)Father Chris Riley, AM is an Australian Roman Catholic priest who founded and is CEO of the charity Youth Off The Streets. He is a member of the Salesian order....
AM - 2007 - Jeremy Jones AM
- 2008 - Les Malezer
- 2009 - Stephen KeimStephen KeimStephen Keim, SC is a Brisbane barrister who represented Indian-born doctor Mohamed Haneef in his application for judicial review of a decision to revoke his Australian visa...
SCSenior CounselThe title of Senior Counsel or State Counsel is given to a senior barrister or advocate in some countries, typically equivalent to the title "Queen's Counsel" used in Commonwealth Realms... - 2010 - Thérèse ReinThérèse ReinThérèse Rein is an Australian entrepreneur and founder of Ingeus, an international employment and business psychology services company. Ingeus operates from more than 150 locations across the UK, Australia, France, Switzerland, Germany, Korea, Sweden, Poland, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and New...