First Annual Children’s Rights Symposium for Australia and the Asia-Pacific

The School of Law, Western Sydney University inaugurates an annual series of children’s rights symposia with a Symposium themed The Convention on the Rights of the Child at 35: Developments in children’s rights in Australia, Asia-Pacific, and the World.

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child turns 35 on the 20th of November 2024. The Convention has become synonymous with children’s rights, and has had a significant impact on legislation, policy and practice in Australia and the world. 

With a focus on Australia and the region, this Symposium celebrates the achievements of the Convention and reflects upon some of the challenges it faces. The event brings together national, regional and international leaders in the field of children’s rights.

The keynote panellists are Commissioner Anne Hollonds, the National Children's Commissioner; Commissioner Natalie Lewis, Queensland Family and Child Commission; Justice Vui Clarence Nelson, the Supreme Court of Samoa and former member of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child; and Professor Ton Liefaard, Leiden Law School. Presentations are also delivered by leading children’s rights scholars from Australia and overseas, and representatives of state institutions and courts that play important roles in protecting the rights of children.

Registration: Participation by registration only. Places are limited and seats are allocated in order of registration. Please register by 8 November, 2024 (for catering purposes).

For a full list of speakers, please see the program below.

Contact person: Dr Meda Couzens (m.couzens@westernsydney.edu.au) 

PROGRAM

8.30 – 8.50: Registration

8.50 – 9.00: Welcome and opening remarks

    Prof. Catherine Renshaw, Dean, School of Law Western Sydney University

    Prof. John Juriansz, Director, Whitlam Institute

9.00 - 10.30: Keynote panel: The CRC at 35: Achievements and Challenges

Chair and discussant: Prof. John Tobin, University of Melbourne

    Commissioner Anne Hollonds, National Children’s Commissioner, Australian Human Rights Commission

      The human rights of Australia’s children – addressing the barriers to action

    Commissioner Natalie Lewis, Commissioner, Queensland Family and Child Commission       

      The CRC and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in the work of the Queensland Family and Child 

      Commission: Achievements and challenges

    Justice Vui Clarence Nelson, Supreme Court of Samoa       

      The CRC at 35: Promises 

    Prof. Ton Liefaard, Leiden Law School, Leiden University, The Netherlands

        Children’s rights at cross-roads

10.30 – 11.00: Morning Tea

11.00 – 12.30: The CRC and children’s rights in the practice of selected institutions and courts

Chair: Prof. Judith Cashmore, University of Sydney

    Jacqueline Fredman and Helen Wodak, Deputy Ombudsman Complaints and Resolution, and Deputy 

    Ombudsman Monitoring and Review respectively, Ombudsman New South Wales

        The NSW Ombudsman’s Office and its child-centred approach to its functions

    Paul Clark, Executive Manager, Education Prevention and Inclusion, eSafety Commissioner Office

        Navigating online safety: A child rights perspective

    Magistrate Alison Viney, Children’s Court NSW        

       The CRC and the work of the Children’s Court of NSW

    Prof. Sharon Bessell, Australian National University [pre-recorded presentation]

       Children’s human rights and poverty in Australia: 35 years of the UNCRC

12.30 – 13.30: Lunch

13.30 – 15.00: The CRC and the protection of children’s rights in Australia

Chair: Dr Meda Couzens, Western Sydney University

    Prof. Tamara Walsh, University of Queensland [pre-recorded presentation]

        Children’s rights and human rights acts in Australia 

    Prof. Claire Fenton-Glynn, Monash University

         A Child Rights Act for Australia

    Assoc. Prof. Faith Gordon, Australian National University

        The CRC and juvenile justice in Australia

    Assoc. Prof. Holly Doel-Mackaway, Macquarie University

        Decolonising children’s participation in public decision-making in Australia: Rethinking article 12 of the CRC

15.00 – 15.30: Afternoon Tea

15.30 – 17.00: The CRC in Asia-Pacific and the world

Chair: Prof. Nicola Taylor, University of Otago, New Zealand

    Prof. Claire Breen, University of Waikato, New Zealand

        Children's Rights in Aotearoa New Zealand are under pressure: (How) can the CRC's complaints 

        mechanism help?

    Prof. Amanda Third, Young and Resilient Research Centre, Western Sydney University

        Child participation in research on children’s digital technology practices in the Asia Pacific

    Assoc. Prof. Noam Peleg, University of New South Wales

        Reflections on the war on Gaza and international children's rights: Promise and failure of the CRC

    Prof. John Tobin, University of Melbourne

        Looking Forward – What do the next 35 years hold for children’s rights?

Closing address: 17.00 – 17.10

Cocktails: 17.10 – 18.00 

Catering: Vegan, vegetarian, gluten free and Halal food options will be provided. If you have other dietary requirements, please contact a.buckland@westernsydney.edu.au. 

Banner artwork photo by Christian Conol, Naisaumua Village, Fiji (Sept 2023).

 

Hotels in the area:

Mercure Parramatta https://www.mercurehotelparramatta.com.au/  [20 minutes walk]

Meriton Suites George St https://www.meritonsuites.com.au/our-hotels/nsw/western-sydney/george-street/ [25 minutes walk]

Rydges Parramatta https://www.rydges.com/accommodation/sydney-nsw/parramatta/ [30 minutes walk]

Nesuto Parramatta https://www.nesuto.com/parramatta  [30 minutes walk]

Holiday Inn Parramatta https://www.ihg.com/holidayinn/hotels/us/en/parramatta/sydpa/hoteldetail [take shuttle bus from the CBD campus at the Parramatta Square / the Parramatta Train Station]

Mantra Parramatta https://www.mantrahotels.com/mantra-parramatta/ [take shuttle bus from the CBD campus at the Parramatta Square / the Parramatta Train Station]

Park Royal Parramatta https://www.panpacific.com/en/hotels-and-resorts/pr-parramatta.html  [take shuttle bus from the CBD campus at the Parramatta Square / the Parramatta Train Station]

Novotel Parramatta https://www.novotelparramatta.com.au/   [take shuttle bus from the CBD campus at the Parramatta Square / the Parramatta Train Station]