Graeme Innes

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 Ashfield Municipal Council.{{cite web|url=http://www.ashfield.nsw.gov.au/persistent/GoContacts/files/OrdinaryCouncilMeetingMinutes16May2006.pdf|title=MINUTES OF ORDINARY MEETING OF THE COUNCIL OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF ASHFIELD|publisher=Ashfield.nsw.gov.au|accessdate=5 November 2014}}

Due to congenital issues, Innes was born totally blind.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}} 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.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}}

At age four, Innes and his family moved to a residence in the grounds of the Masonic Hospital (now the Sydney Private Hospital{{cite web|url=http://www.sydneyprivate.com.au/SydneyPriv.asp |title=The Sydney Private Hospital |publisher=Sydneyprivate.com.au |date=2000-11-01 |accessdate=2014-06-09}}) in Ashfield, when Innes' father Alwyn was appointed its CEO. Innes grew up there.

Innes attended the North Rocks School for Blind Children, run by the New South Wales Department of Education on a site owned by the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children.{{cite web|url=http://www.ridbc.org.au |title=RIDBC |publisher=RIDBC |date= |accessdate=2014-06-09}} 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 Ashfield Boys High School 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 University of Sydney, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1978, and gained the foundation for his later specialisation in social justice and human rights law.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}}

After completing practical legal training at the College of Law in 1978, Innes applied for about 30 jobs{{citation needed|date=June 2024}}, 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 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.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}}

Innes worked for Qantas (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 Westpac, where he was Manager of Disability Projects (1995–1997).{{citation needed|date=June 2024}}

He was a Hearing Commissioner with the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (1994–2001). In this role, he heard the cases of Finney v Hills Grammar School,{{cite web|url=https://www.humanrights.gov.au/scott-and-bernadette-finney-behalf-scarlett-finney-v-hills-grammar-school |title=Scott and Bernadette Finney on behalf of Scarlett Finney v The Hills Grammar School | Australian Human Rights Commission |publisher=Humanrights.gov.au |date= |accessdate=2015-08-26}} and Purvis v NSW Department of Education,{{cite web|url=http://www.humanrights.gov.au/alex-purvis-behalf-daniel-hoggan-v-state-new-south-wales-department-education |title=Alex Purvis on behalf of Daniel Hoggan v The State of New South Wales (Department of Education) | Australian Human Rights Commission |publisher=Humanrights.gov.au |date= |accessdate=2014-06-09}} 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 Disability Discrimination Act 1992.

Innes then became the Deputy Disability Discrimination Commissioner at the Australian Human Rights Commission 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.

Throughout his early career, Innes held leadership positions in disability advocacy organisations. He was the first Chair of Disabled Peoples International (Australia) which became People with Disability Australia{{cite web|url=http://www.pwd.org.au |title=People with Disability Australia (PWDA) |publisher=Pwd.org.au |date= |accessdate=2014-06-09}} (1983–1987), and Chair of Royal Blind Society (1995–2004) and was the first Chair of Australia's national blindness agency, Vision Australia{{cite web|url=http://www.visionaustralia.org/ |title=Vision Australia |publisher=Vision Australia |date=2014-03-20 |accessdate=2014-06-09}} (2004–2005). He was the Chair of the Commonwealth Disability Advisory Council of Australia{{cite web|author=Time to Talk Canberra |url=http://www.communityservices.act.gov.au/disability_act/disability_advisory_council |title=Disability Advisory Council – Community Services |publisher=Communityservices.act.gov.au |date=2014-05-06 |accessdate=2014-06-09}} 1989–1993, which achieved passage by government of the Disability Discrimination Act in 1992, and which developed a plan to improve transport accessibility (which later became the Accessible Transport Standards{{cite web |url=http://www.ag.gov.au/RightsAndProtections/HumanRights/DisabilityStandards/Pages/Disabilitystandardsforaccesiblepublictransport.aspx |title=Disability standards for accessible public transport | Attorney-General's Department |publisher=Ag.gov.au |date=2012-11-15 |accessdate=2014-06-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140426234025/http://www.ag.gov.au/RightsAndProtections/HumanRights/DisabilityStandards/Pages/Disabilitystandardsforaccesiblepublictransport.aspx |archive-date=26 April 2014 |url-status=dead }}).

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 now replaced with Disability and Carers Industry Advisory Council{{cite web|url=http://www.dss.gov.au/disability-and-carers-industry-advisory-council |title=Disability and Carers Industry Advisory Council | Australian Government Department of Social Services |publisher=Dss.gov.au |date=2014-06-02 |accessdate=2014-06-09}} 1995–1996, and Chair of World Blind Union (Asia Pacific Region) 2002–2005. He has been a board member of the NSW Disability Discrimination Legal Centre;{{cite web|url=http://ddlcnsw.org.au/contact/ |title=Contact « NSW Disability Discrimination Legal Centre |publisher=Ddlcnsw.org.au |date= |accessdate=2014-06-09}} Life Without Barriers;,{{cite web|url=http://www.lwb.org.au/ |title=Life Without Barriers – Home |publisher=Lwb.org.au |date= |accessdate=2014-06-09}} Livable Housing Australia{{cite web|url=http://www.anuhd.org/ |title=Australian Network for Universal Housing Design (ANUHD) | Homes for Living |publisher=ANUHD |date= |accessdate=2014-06-09}} and is a board member of disability employment service, Joblife Employment.{{Cite web|url=https://joblifeemployment.com.au/about-us/our-board/|title=Joblife Employment {{!}} Our Board|website=Joblife|language=en-AU|access-date=2019-03-01}}

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 participated in the drafting of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities{{cite web|url=https://www.un.org/disabilities/convention/about.shtml |title=Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities |publisher=Un.org |date=2006-08-09 |accessdate=2014-06-09}} and its ratification by Australia. He also played an instrumental role in the Same Sex: Same Entitlements{{cite web|url=https://www.humanrights.gov.au/same-sex-same-entitlements |title=Same Sex: Same Entitlements | Australian Human Rights Commission |publisher=Humanrights.gov.au |date= January 2006|accessdate=2014-06-09}} enquiry, which resulted in the removal of discrimination across Australian federal law.

Innes also contributed to the development of the National Disability Strategy and the Disability (Access to Premises – buildings) Standards 2010,{{cite web|url=http://www.er.gov.au/RightsAndProtections/HumanRights/DisabilityStandards/Pages/Disabilitystandardsforpremises.aspx |title=Disability standards for premises | Attorney-General's Department |publisher=Ag.gov.au |date=2012-11-15 |accessdate=2014-06-09}} as well as to the establishment of Livable Housing Australia. In his role as Human Rights Commissioner, he undertook three annual inspections of Australia's Immigration Detention facilities.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}}

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 RailCorp{{cite AustLII|FMCA|36|2013|litigants=Innes v Rail Corporation NSW (No 2) |courtname=auto |date=1 February 2013}}. (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.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}} Also in 2013, Innes initiated an online petition calling on department store Myer 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{{who|date=June 2024}} about the National Disability Insurance Scheme. Innes' petition gained 35,000 signatures within a few days.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}}

Innes has been an active advocate for the implementation of cinema captioning and audio descriptions in Australia.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}}

He is known for his speeches,{{cite web|url=https://www.humanrights.gov.au/news/speeches?field_news_author_value=Graeme.Innes.AM |title=Speeches | Australian Human Rights Commission |publisher=Humanrights.gov.au |date= |accessdate=2014-06-09}} and his erudite opinion pieces{{cite web|url=http://www.humanrights.gov.au/news/opinion?field_cmn_area_of_work_tid=All&field_news_date_value%5Bvalue%5D%5Byear%5D=&body_value&field_news_author_value=Graeme.Innes.AM&sort_bef_combine=field_news_date_value%20DESC |title=Opinion pieces | Australian Human Rights Commission |publisher=Humanrights.gov.au |date= |accessdate=2014-06-09}} published in mainstream Australian media. He embraces communications technologies and platforms, and is a regular user of Twitter{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/Graemeinnes |title=Graeme Innes (@Graemeinnes) op Twitter |publisher=Twitter.com |date=2014-06-04 |accessdate=2014-06-09}} for timely media commentary.

In December 2022, Innes was installed as the chancellor of Central Queensland University.{{cite news |last=Pearce|first=Matthew|date=9 December 2022|title=New Chancellor takes up challenge|url=https://cqtoday.com.au/news/2022/12/09/new-chancellor-takes-up-challenge|work=CQ Today|location= |access-date=24 December 2022}} He is the first university chancellor in Australia to identify as having a disability.{{cite news |last=Culliver|first=Paul|date=7 December 2022|title=Meet the first Australian Chancellor to identify as having a disability |url=https://www.abc.net.au/capricornia/programs/breakfast/graeme-innes-am-new-cqu-chancellor/101743814|work=ABC Capricornia|location= |access-date=24 December 2022}}

• Passing of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992{{cite web|url=https://www.humanrights.gov.au/disability-rights-legislation-index |title=Disability Rights: Legislation index | Australian Human Rights Commission |publisher=Humanrights.gov.au |date= |accessdate=2014-06-09}}{{cite web|url=https://www.humanrights.gov.au/disability-rights-second-reading-house-reps |title=Disability Rights: Second Reading. House of Reps | Australian Human Rights Commission |publisher=Humanrights.gov.au |date=1992-05-26 |accessdate=2014-06-09}}
• Passing of the UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities
• Passing of the UN Optional Protocol on Rights of Persons with Disabilities{{cite web|url=https://www.un.org/disabilities/convention/optprotocol.shtml |title=Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities |publisher=Un.org |date=2007-03-30 |accessdate=2014-06-09}}

Innes was made a Member of the Order of Australia 1995{{cite web|last=|first=|date=1995-01-26|title=Mr Graeme Gordon INNES|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/880498|accessdate=2020-10-28|website=It's An Honour|publisher=Itsanhonour.gov.au}} for service to the community, particularly as an adviser on disability anti-discrimination policy. He was also shortlisted for Australian of the Year in 2004.

Academic

• Fellow, Australian Institute of Company Directors
• Adjunct Professor, University of Sydney
• Honorary Doctor of the University, University of Canberra, 2014, in recognition of his work as a human rights activist.
• Honorary Doctor of Social Sciences, RMIT University, 2016, in recognition of his national contribution to public service and advocacy of human rights, particularly for people with disabilities.
• Honorary Doctorate, University of New South Wales, 2017

Other awards

• Outstanding Supporter Award, 2008 – Gay & Lesbian Rights Lobby
• Outstanding Service Award, 1976–2005 – Vision Australia
• David Blyth Award, 1999 – Blind Citizens Australia
• Civic Medallion, 1992 – City of Perth, Western Australia

{{BLP unreferenced section|date=June 2024}}

Innes is married to Maureen Shelley. He has an adult son and daughter. He enjoys cricket and sailing.

{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

• [https://www.humanrights.gov.au/news/opinion?field_cmn_area_of_work_tid=All&field_news_date_value[value][year]=&body_value&field_news_author_value=Graeme.Innes.AM&sort_bef_combine=field_news_date_value%20DESC Opinion pieces published by Australian Human Rights Commission]
• [https://www.humanrights.gov.au/news/speeches?field_news_author_value=Graeme.Innes.AM Speeches delivered as the Disability Discrimination Commissioner]
• [http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/graeme-innes-45720.html Stories contributed to The Drum]
• [http://www.thepunch.com.au/author-bios/graeme-innes/ Articles contributed to The Punch]
• [https://theinclusionclub.com/podcast-graeme-innes/ Tic Talk at The Inclusion Club]
• [https://www.humanrights.gov.au/twentystories/ Twenty Years: Twenty Stories]

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Category:1955 births

Category:Living people

Category:20th-century Australian lawyers

Category:Lawyers from Sydney

Category:Australian Christians

Category:Australian blind people

Category:Australian lawyers with disabilities

Category:21st-century Australian lawyers

Category:Australian disability rights activists

Category:Sydney Law School alumni

Category:Fellows of the Australian Institute of Company Directors

Category:Members of the Order of Australia

Category:Blind scholars and academics

Category:Blind lawyers

Category:Blind activists

Category:Australian activists with disabilities

Category:People educated at Ashfield Boys High School