366:(which delivers train services in NSW). The magistrate found RailCorp had discriminated against blind and visually impaired passengers by refusing to commit to a program of improving station announcements on Sydney trains so that passengers would know where to get off. Innes won the case and $ 10,000 damages, after RailCorp spent more than $ 400,000 on its unsuccessful defence. Also in 2013, Innes initiated an online petition calling on department store
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309:(1994–2001). In this role, he heard the cases of Finney v Hills Grammar School, and Purvis v NSW Department of Education, which resulted in the landmark decisions that the schools in question had discriminated against a child on the basis of their disability (either refusing enrolment, or excluding the child) in breach of the
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Innes was appointed
Australia's Disability Discrimination Commissioner in December 2005. During that time, he also served as Australia's Human Rights Commissioner (2005–2009) and as Race Discrimination Commissioner (2009–2011). As Commissioner, Innes contributed to human rights reform initiatives. He
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in 1992, and which developed a plan to improve transport accessibility (which later became the
Accessible Transport Standards). He was also Deputy Chair of the Australian Disability Consultative Council This council was replaced by the National People with Disabilities and Carer Council, which has is
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After completing practical legal training at the
College of Law in 1978, Innes applied for about 30 jobs, but many employers did not understand how a blind person could work as a lawyer. He gained a position as a clerical assistant with the NSW Public Service, and two years later became a legal
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Innes also contributed to the development of the
National Disability Strategy and the Disability (Access to Premises – buildings) Standards 2010, as well as to the establishment of Livable Housing Australia. In his role as Human Rights Commissioner, he undertook three annual inspections of
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from 1999 to 2005. As a tribunal member, he maintained a high resolution rate of complaints using conciliation for tribunals including the NSW Administrative
Decisions Tribunal (1996–2005); the NSW Consumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal (1996–2005); and the Social Security Appeals Tribunal.
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As a human rights advocate, in his personal capacity as well as professionally, Innes has achieved a number of reforms for people with disability. In 2013 acting in a personal capacity, he won a case in the
Federal Magistrates Court against
341:(Asia Pacific Region) 2002–2005. He has been a board member of the NSW Disability Discrimination Legal Centre; Life Without Barriers;, Livable Housing Australia and is a board member of disability employment service, Joblife Employment.
247:. Due to congenital issues, Innes was born totally blind. His parents were shocked by the news of his disability but endeavoured to treat him in the same way as his siblings. Innes believes this approach benefitted him in life.
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He is known for his speeches, and his erudite opinion pieces published in mainstream
Australian media. He embraces communications technologies and platforms, and is a regular user of Twitter for timely media commentary.
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and its ratification by
Australia. He also played an instrumental role in the Same Sex: Same Entitlements enquiry, which resulted in the removal of discrimination across Australian federal law.
261:. He was made school captain in 1971 in early recognition of his leadership capacities. He was thereafter one of the first blind children integrated into the mainstream school system, attending
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Innes was made a Member of the Order of
Australia 1995 for service to the community, particularly as an adviser on disability anti-discrimination policy. He was also shortlisted for
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Throughout his early career, Innes held leadership positions in disability advocacy organisations. He was the first Chair of
Disabled Peoples International (Australia) which became
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officer at the Department of Consumer Affairs. He became a conciliator in 1983, first at the NSW Anti-Discrimination Board and then at the WA Equal Opportunity Commission.
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for Years 11 and 12 in 1972–73. He was a prefect at this school, and a member of the 1972 debating team that won many competitions. He then undertook law studies at the
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298:(1993–1995), initially managing its Disability Services Project, and then fulfilling the role of the company's Equal Employment Opportunity Officer. He then moved to
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As a human rights advocate for the past 30 years he has played a role in many human rights and disability initiatives, including the drafting of the United Nations
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to increase its employment of people with disability to 10 per cent of its workforce. This action was in response to a negative statement by Myer's CEO about the
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Innes was born in Sydney, Australia. The son of Alwyn and Dorothy Innes, he has an older sister and younger brother. Alwyn Innes had been a councillor on
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332:(2004–2005). He was the Chair of the Commonwealth Disability Advisory Council of Australia 1989–1993, which achieved passage by government of the
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770:"Alex Purvis on behalf of Daniel Hoggan v The State of New South Wales (Department of Education) | Australian Human Rights Commission"
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Innes attended the North Rocks School for Blind Children, run by the New South Wales Department of Education on a site owned by the
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748:"Scott and Bernadette Finney on behalf of Scarlett Finney v The Hills Grammar School | Australian Human Rights Commission"
231:, which was found to have discriminated against blind and visually impaired passengers. Innes was admitted as a Member of the
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328:(1983–1987), and Chair of Royal Blind Society (1995–2004) and was the first Chair of Australia's national blindness agency,
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in 1995 in recognition of his human rights work and his contribution to the rights of people with disability in Australia.
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213:(born 9 August 1955) is an Australian lawyer, mediator and company director, university chancellor and was Australia's
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Innes has been an active advocate for the implementation of cinema captioning and audio descriptions in Australia.
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At age four, Innes and his family moved to a residence in the grounds of the Masonic Hospital (now the
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Innes is married to Maureen Shelley. He has an adult son and daughter. He enjoys cricket and sailing.
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1234:"Disability Rights: Second Reading. House of Reps | Australian Human Rights Commission"
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859:"Disability standards for accessible public transport | Attorney-General's Department"
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now replaced with Disability and Carers Industry Advisory Council 1995–1996, and Chair of
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254:) in Ashfield, when Innes' father Alwyn was appointed its CEO. Innes grew up there.
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954:"Australian Network for Universal Housing Design (ANUHD) | Homes for Living"
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1212:"Disability Rights: Legislation index | Australian Human Rights Commission"
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679:"MINUTES OF ORDINARY MEETING OF THE COUNCIL OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF ASHFIELD"
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Innes then became the Deputy Disability Discrimination Commissioner at the
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degree in 1978, and gained the foundation for his later specialisation in
1185:"Meet the first Australian Chancellor to identify as having a disability"
586:"President & Commissioners | Australian Human Rights Commission"
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1048:"Disability standards for premises | Attorney-General's Department"
1026:"Same Sex: Same Entitlements | Australian Human Rights Commission"
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Outstanding Supporter Award, 2008 – Gay & Lesbian Rights Lobby
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Speeches delivered as the Disability Discrimination Commissioner
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Opinion pieces published by Australian Human Rights Commission
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454:, 2014, in recognition of his work as a human rights activist.
374:. Innes' petition gained 35,000 signatures within a few days.
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907:"Contact « NSW Disability Discrimination Legal Centre"
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UN Optional Protocol on Rights of Persons with Disabilities
302:, where he was Manager of Disability Projects (1995–1997).
1112:"Opinion pieces | Australian Human Rights Commission"
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Fellows of the Australian Institute of Company Directors
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1256:"Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities"
1004:"Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities"
608:"Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities"
657:"It's an Honour – Honours – Search Australian Honours"
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Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
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Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
1090:"Speeches | Australian Human Rights Commission"
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UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities
350:participated in the drafting of the United Nations
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49:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
837:"Disability Advisory Council – Community Services"
487:David Blyth Award, 1999 – Blind Citizens Australia
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358:Australia's Immigration Detention facilities.
861:. Ag.gov.au. 15 November 2012. Archived from
384:In December 2022, Innes was installed as the
307:Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
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1426:People educated at Ashfield Boys High School
537:. Unsourced material may be challenged and
259:Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children
631:"Disability case costs RailCorp $ 420,000"
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792:"People with Disability Australia (PWDA)"
557:Learn how and when to remove this message
440:Australian Institute of Company Directors
109:Learn how and when to remove this message
1134:"Graeme Innes (@Graemeinnes) op Twitter"
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706:. Sydneyprivate.com.au. 1 November 2000
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481:Outstanding Service Award, 1976–2005 –
305:He was a Hearing Commissioner with the
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1386:Australian disability rights activists
215:Disability Discrimination Commissioner
197:Disability Discrimination Commissioner
1284:. Itsanhonour.gov.au. 26 January 1995
659:. Itsanhonour.gov.au. 26 January 1995
7:
1376:Australian lawyers with disabilities
835:Time to Talk Canberra (6 May 2014).
535:adding citations to reliable sources
457:Honorary Doctor of Social Sciences,
372:National Disability Insurance Scheme
47:adding citations to reliable sources
1157:"New Chancellor takes up challenge"
1155:Pearce, Matthew (9 December 2022).
1069:Innes v Rail Corporation NSW (No 2)
637:. Sydney, NSW: Fairfax Media Sydney
450:Honorary Doctor of the University,
1183:Culliver, Paul (7 December 2022).
1028:. Humanrights.gov.au. January 2006
403:Disability Discrimination Act 1992
318:Australian Human Rights Commission
311:Disability Discrimination Act 1992
227:In 2013, Innes won a case against
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1401:Members of the Order of Australia
1321:Articles contributed to The Punch
1236:. Humanrights.gov.au. 26 May 1992
816:. Vision Australia. 20 March 2014
629:Saulwick, Jacob (29 March 2013).
217:from December 2005 to July 2014.
976:"Joblife Employment | Our Board"
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326:People with Disability Australia
142:Innes at the launch of his book
23:
16:Australian human rights advocate
1381:21st-century Australian lawyers
1356:20th-century Australian lawyers
1316:Stories contributed to The Drum
34:needs additional citations for
1326:Tic Talk at The Inclusion Club
929:"Life Without Barriers – Home"
839:. Communityservices.act.gov.au
1:
1050:. Ag.gov.au. 15 November 2012
704:"The Sydney Private Hospital"
466:University of New South Wales
390:Central Queensland University
334:Disability Discrimination Act
1406:Blind scholars and academics
1331:Twenty Years: Twenty Stories
269:, where he graduated with a
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1136:. Twitter.com. 4 June 2014
1077:Federal Magistrates' Court
245:Ashfield Municipal Council
887:. Dss.gov.au. 2 June 2014
635:The Sydney Morning Herald
263:Ashfield Boys High School
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1391:Sydney Law School alumni
1278:"Mr Graeme Gordon INNES"
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490:Civic Medallion, 1992 –
239:Early life and education
1371:Australian blind people
1258:. Un.org. 30 March 2007
1006:. Un.org. 9 August 2006
610:. Un.org. 30 March 2007
252:Sydney Private Hospital
1073:[2013] FMCA 36
452:University of Canberra
427:Australian of the Year
277:and human rights law.
1366:Australian Christians
684:. Ashfield.nsw.gov.au
1214:. Humanrights.gov.au
1114:. Humanrights.gov.au
1092:. Humanrights.gov.au
772:. Humanrights.gov.au
750:. Humanrights.gov.au
588:. Humanrights.gov.au
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464:Honorary Doctorate,
446:University of Sydney
267:University of Sydney
178:University of Sydney
43:improve this article
1361:Lawyers from Sydney
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444:Adjunct Professor,
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814:"Vision Australia"
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164:(age 69)
162:9 August 1955
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473:Other awards
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