UN Indigenous Rights Expert to Present Preliminary Findings on Australia Visit

Sydney — A United Nations expert assessing Australia’s record on Indigenous rights will present preliminary findings from a two-week country visit at a media conference in Sydney on Friday, 13 November.

Albert K. Barume, the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples, is examining how effectively the Australian Government is promoting and protecting the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

His visit has included meetings with First Peoples organisations, community representatives, government officials, civil society groups and academics in Canberra, Adelaide, Broome, Darwin, the Torres Strait Islands, Townsville and Sydney.

The assessment covers several human rights issues, including Australia’s implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the right to self-determination, redress for historical injustices and Indigenous Peoples’ rights to their lands, territories and resources.

However, Barume has expressed regret that planned meetings with government officials in the Northern Territory and Queensland will not take place.

He also said planned visits to the Holtze youth detention centre near Darwin and the Cleveland youth detention centre in Townsville had been cancelled after the respective state and territory governments declined to engage with the UN mandate.

The preliminary findings and recommendations will be presented at a media conference at the Australian Human Rights Commission’s offices in Sydney at 1pm on 13 November.

The event will be held in a hybrid format to allow journalists from regional and remote communities to participate, although access will be restricted to accredited journalists.

Barume is expected to submit a full report on his visit to the UN Human Rights Council in September 2027.