Listen to Children

This report finds that despite ratifying the Convention for the Rights of the Child in 1991, Australia has not effectively incorporated human rights into policy and frameworks to nurture and support all of Australia’s children. Australia is not a great place for all its children, especially its Aboriginal children.

Significant examples of gaps in child protection are presented in this report. Although it is acknowledged that Australia has made measurable progress in the past five years, severe discrepancies in child protection are measured which violate the precepts of the Convention.

In order to improve their performance in protecting all children, this report recommends that the Australian government do the following:

• Incorporate the Convention comprehensively into Australian law
• Create a comprehensive National Plan of Action for Children and Young people, in partnership with children and civil society
• Establish an independent National Children’s Commissioner