The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Mr Tom Calma, today launched the 2008 Social Justice Report and the 2008 Native Title Report in Sydney. This is Mr Calma's fifth Social Justice report and his last as his term ends in July. During the launch the speakers paid their respects to Mr Calma for his unwavering commitment to achieving justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and the remarkable contribution he has made over the past several years; an accolade which is wholeheartedly shared by NATSIEC.
 
The report Mr Calma delivered has a feeling of optimism and remarks on some of the significant actions taken to improve the situation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people over the past eighteen months. Actions highlighted include the Federal Government's apology, supporting the United Nation's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the headway made on reducing Indigenous disadvantage. Mr Calma spoke of an optimism that new partnerships can be forged to address the challenges now and into the future.
 
However, Mr Calma also spoke of fears of uncertainty, particularly in the face of the economic crisis and the growing concern of climate change. He stressed the need for strong and genuine partnerships to overcome the issues facing Australians over the next 18 months.
 
key to setting a new agenda are the following areas highlighted in this year's Social Justice report. They include:

• Putting into place a credible national Indigenous representative mechanism;
• Creating a role for human rights as part of the architecture in building a new relationship with Indigenous people;
• Reinstating the application of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 of the NTER legislation;
• Developing a remote education strategy and accountability framework;
• Auditing populations and projected populations of remote pre-school and school-aged children;
• Establishing an Indigenous controlled national healing body;
• Establishing a long term national plan of action to achieve health equality;
• Establishing adequate mechanisms to coordinate and monitor the multiple service delivery roles of governments that impact on Indigenous health.

The Social Justice Report 2008 is available at http://www.hreoc.gov.au/social_justice/sj_report/sjreport08/index.html