Nominate for Human Rights Community Award

Nominations are about to close for the 2015 Tony Fitzgerald Memorial Community Award to be presented at the Australian Human Rights Awards ceremony in December.

The deadline for nominations in all seven categories is Friday 11 September .

Australian Human Rights Commission President, Gillian Triggs said the Tony Fitzgerald Award recognises the outstanding contributions of inspiring members of the community and Not for Profit organisations from across the country who promote, encourage and work to advance human rights on a day-to-day basis.

“The Community Award was established to remember the legacy of Tony Fitzgerald who was the NT Anti-Discrimination Minister from 2002 until his death in 2009. Tony Fitzgerald was a true human rights visionary, who believed in working together at the grassroots level to achieve community harmony,” Professor Triggs said.

“He was also a fighter for equal opportunity with a passion for a fair and just society free from inequality and racial-discrimination. These are the qualities we are looking to recognise through this award.”

In previous years, community award nominations were accepted in two categories – one for individuals and another for organisations.

“This year though, as part of an effort to streamline the entire Awards process, there will be only one Community Award given to either a person or Not for Profit community-based organisation with a track record in promoting human rights,” Professor Triggs said.

Last year, the Community Award for individuals went to Damian Griffis, CEO of the First Peoples Disability Network Australia and a leading advocate for the human rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disability.

The Community Award for Organisations went to Transgender Victoria for its dedication to achieving justice, equity and quality health and community services for transgender people, their partners, families and friends.

Community organisations that have previously been awarded include the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence, the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, ACON and the Australian Arabic Council.

Past recipients of the Community Individual Award include Carolyn Frohmader, Executive Director of Women with Disabilities Australia, Pat Anderson, Chairperson of the Lowitja Institute, and Dr Jamal Rifi, Muslim community leader.

“Individuals and community organisations throughout Australia do thousands of hours of voluntary work to make our society a better place – but their tireless efforts mostly go unrecognised. This is a once a year opportunity to celebrate their contributions,” Professor Triggs said.

The other six awards include: the Human Rights Medal, Young People’s Medal, Law Award, Business Award, Racism. It Stops With Me Award, and the Media Award.

For more information or to nominate visit http://hrawards.humanrights.gov.au