United Nations General Assembly A/HRC/15/37/Add.4 Distr.: General 1 June 2010 Original: English Human Rights Council Fifteenth session Agenda item 3 Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development Report by the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people, James Anaya Addendum Situation of indigenous peoples in Australia* Summary This report contains the observations of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous peoples, James Anaya, on the situation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia. The report is based on exchanges of information with the Government, indigenous peoples and other interested parties, including during the Special Rapporteur’s visit to Australia from 17 to 28 August 2009. Having suffered a history of oppression and racial discrimination, including acts of genocide, such as the removal of indigenous children from their homes, as well as the dispossession of their lands, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today endure severe disadvantage compared with non-indigenous Australians. The Government of Australia is to be commended for its several initiatives and programmes of recent years to address the human rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The Special Rapporteur particularly notes the expressions of commitment made by the Government with a view to reconciliation with indigenous peoples, including the “National Apology” of 2008, and its support for the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. He is also pleased to note the important goal set of * The summary is being circulated in all official languages. The report itself, contained in the annex to the summary, is being circulated in the language of submission only. For reasons of length, the appendices were not edited. GE.10-13887 (E) 240610