Assessment 2: Social Justice Report - INT101, T1-2020

This report delves into the concept of social justice as a fundamental principle underpinning community work in Australia. It begins with a definition of social justice, highlighting its significance in ensuring fair relations within society and equal opportunities for all, including Indigenous Australians. The report then explores key historical events, such as the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody and the Mabo decision, which have shaped the understanding of social justice issues. Furthermore, it examines current ethical requirements for social workers, emphasizing the promotion of human rights and anti-oppressive practices. The report also identifies relevant legislation, including the Age Discrimination Act, Racial Discrimination Act, and others, that aim to protect individuals from discrimination and injustice. The report concludes by emphasizing the importance of continued efforts to uphold social justice principles and ensure equal rights and opportunities for all Australians.

Running head: SOCIAL JUSTICE
Introduction to Community Services
Social Justice

SOCIAL JUSTICE 1
Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Social Justice................................................................................................................................2
Historical event............................................................................................................................3
Current Ethics and Legislation Requirement...............................................................................4
Ethical requirement..................................................................................................................4
Legislation Requirement..........................................................................................................4
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................6
References........................................................................................................................................7

SOCIAL JUSTICE 2
Introduction
The intent of this paper is to present a discussion related to Social Justice as the value and
principle that underpins community work in Australia. This report is providing the definition,
summarizing the historical events related to social justice and recognizing the current legislation
or ethical requirements related to the topic.
Social Justice
According to McGrath (2019), social Justice is considered to be the concept of fair
relations between the society and individual, in terms of wealth distribution, rights, and grabbing
opportunities for personal development. Whereas on the other side, Ruger (2009), states that
social justice is a philosophical as well as a political theory that declares the extents to the justice
concept beyond those personified in the criminal or civil law principles, traditional moral
frameworks, or economic supply and demand.
National Pro Bono Resource Centre (2011), specified that social justice is all related to
ensuring that all the people in Australia that are indigenous and non-indigenous get equal choices
related to the way they live and making other choices. Social justice is all related and based on
daily life realities. It is related to waking up in the morning in a house with proper sanitation,
providing the education facility to children that support them in developing their skills and learn
to respect their culture (Reisch, 2002). It is also considered to be the vision of satiating good
health and employment. Social justice is also about getting the distinctive rights for the
Indigenous people in Australia that are held by the original peoples of the land, comprising the
right to freedom, land, and different culture. The Commissioner of the Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander Social Justice support the rights of Indigenous Australians and working to
encourage the respect of their rights among the wider community of Australia.

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Historical event
In past years, there are some of the major events that have supported in promoting the
depth of knowledge and understanding of the problems that are faced by Indigenous Australians.
In the year 1991, a report from the Royal Commission related to the Aboriginal Deaths in the
Custody exposed a multifaceted and shocking image of the influence of deficiency, colonization,
and influential racism that is faced by the Aboriginal peoples. To address the Royal
Commission’s findings, the federal Parliament of the country introduced the Council for
Aboriginal Reconciliation which was focused on the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal existence
and relations transformation in the nation (James, 2003).
In the year 1992, this was followed by the decision of the High Court in Mabo that
disallowed the notion that Australia was terra nullius (which means the land belongs to no party
or community) during the European settlement time. The Court accepted the Indigenous people’s
common law right to get a land for the ongoing use and their relation to land. From then some of
the other facts were exposed, like the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children Separation
from their loved ones and families as per the report published after the National Inquiry. The
place for the Social Justice Commission of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander was
established in 1992 in December by the federal parliament which was the major reply to the
judgments presented by the Royal Commission related to the death of Aboriginals in the custody
and the Racist Violence. It also addresses the high level of economic and social disadvantage
experienced by Indigenous Australians. The significant part that is performed is of the
Commissioner to raise the issues of Indigenous people in front of the community in the country
and federal government for promoting the respect and understanding of Indigenous Australians
rights (James, 2003).

SOCIAL JUSTICE 4
Current Ethics and Legislation Requirement
Ethical requirement
In Australia, social workers are accountable to promote the practices, social conditions, and
policies related to human rights and focus to ensure quality, legal protection, and participation
for every individual (Australian Association of Social Workers, 2010).
Social workers will focus on providing respect to the concept of diversity and make use of
anti-oppressive practice principles that focus to eliminate and prevent the discrimination and
domination depending on the points like culture, sexual orientation or preference, national origin,
gender or sex, ethnicity, ability, religion, appearance, language, age, spirituality, relationship
status, and political affiliation. In situations where clients are, denied access to the required
resources for their well-being then there is justifiable positive discrimination.
Social workers will maintain their commitment towards social justice and autonomy at the
time of getting involved in the community development and social action with the communities
and client groups (Australian Association of Social Workers, 2010).
Legislation Requirement
There are number of laws introduced by the Federal Commission for protecting the people of
the country from the discrimination, injustice in the society, and from the human right breach.
The citizens of the country have to meet their responsibilities by placing complain if they notice
any type of discrimination and breaching of human rights (Australian Human Rights
Commission, 2020). Here is some of the act introduced in the country:
Age Discrimination Act 2004 – This works to protect the citizens from discrimination at the
employment place, education, commonwealth law administration, goods and service provision,
etc.

SOCIAL JUSTICE 5
Racial Discrimination Act 1975 – This promotes equality before any kind of law that is
created for the people irrespective of ethnic origin, national origin, color, and race (Australian
Government, 2014).
Disability Discrimination Act 1992 – It works to eliminate discrimination for those with
disabilities.
Sex Discrimination Act 1984 – This act works to stop the unfair treatment based on their
gender, marital status, sex, pregnancy, intersex status, breastfeeding, and relationship status. It
also works for the workers with the responsibility of their family and makes sexual harassment
which is against the law.
Human Rights Commission Act 1986 – This act articulates the responsibilities and role of the
human rights commission. It is managed under the following laws:
 Rights of the Child
 Rights of Mentally Retarded Persons
 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
 Rights of Persons with Disabilities
 The Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and Discrimination Based on Religion or
Belief
 Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons
 Declaration of the Rights of the Child
 Convention related to the Discrimination in terms of Employment and Occupation
(Australian Human Rights Commission, 2020)

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Conclusion
The above report has clarified the notion of social justice that it is about providing equal
facilities and treatment to every individual in terms of wealth distribution, right, and to grab the
personal development opportunities. From the analysis of the historical event, it has been
identified that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander has experienced a number of challenges
in getting the rights in Australia related to education, facilities, rights, etc. However, in the
present duration, there is a number of the ethical and legislative requirement that has been
established by the federal commission of the country for the rights of every individual.

SOCIAL JUSTICE 7
References
Australian Human Rights Commission. (2020). Legislation. Retrieved from
https://www.humanrights.gov.au/our-work/legal/legislation
Australian Association of Social Workers. (2010). Code of Ethics. Retrieved from
https://www.aasw.asn.au/document/item/1201
Australian Government. (2014). Federal Register of legislation. Retrieved from
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2014C00014
James, W. (2003). A life of opportunity and dignity, free from discrimination and disadvantage,
should not be an ideal. It is, in fact, a basic human right – one that we all share in
common. Retrieved from
https://www.humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/content/social_justice/infosheet/
infosheet_sj.pdf
McGrath, T. (2019). Woke: A Guide to Social Justice 1st ed. U.K: Hachette.
National Pro Bono Resource Centre. (2011). Social Justice. Retrieved from
https://www.probonocentre.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Occ_1_What-is-Social-
Justice_FINAL.pdf
Reisch, M. (2002). Defining Social Justice in a Socially Unjust World. Families in society: the
journal of contemporary human services, 83(4), 343-354.
Ruger, P.J. (2009). Health and Social Justice 1st ed. U.K: OUP Oxford.