Ron McCallum AO
- Member of the Editorial Committee
- Emeritus Professor
- University of Sydney
- Spotlight on editorial committee member
Professor McCallum was nominated by the Australian government to stand as an independent expert for the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities when that Committee was first established in 2008. The primary function of the Committee is to monitor the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Ron served as inaugural member, then Chair of this Committee and then as Vice-Chair until his term concluded on 31 December 2014. He also served as the Chair of the UN Committee of the Chairs of all of the UN Treaty Bodies in 2011-2012.
In early 2003, the Australian Government awarded Professor McCallum a Centenary Medal for his role as a labour law scholar and for his role as a disabled citizen in our nation. In the 2006 Queen’s Birthday honours list (12 June 2006), Professor McCallum received the designation of Officer in the Order of Australia for his services to tertiary education, for industrial relations advice to governments, for assistance to visually impaired persons and for social justice. On 11 October 2007, Professor McCallum received the 2007 Alumni Achievement Award of Queen's University Canada. On 25 January 2011, Professor McCallum was awarded by the Prime Minister of Australia Ms Julia Gillard, the honour of being Senior Australian for the Year 2011.
Could you tell us a bit about two important articles you've written in your carreer?
This comparative article examines the changes in Australian labour law in 2006 which sought to transplant an American model of labour law to Australia. The article compares and contrasts the constitutional powers over labour law in the United States, in Canada and in Australia.
This article examines the plight of persons with disabilities in Canada and in Australia who are seeking stable employment free from discrimination. The piece also discusses article 27 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which concerns the employment of persons with disabilities.