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Commission – General
29 March 2023Media ReleaseDr Ben Gauntlett appointed as Deputy Commissioner to the NACC
The Attorney-General, The Hon Mark Dreyfus KC today announced that Disability Discrimination Commissioner, Dr Ben Gauntlett has been appointed as Deputy Commissioner to the National Anti-Corruption Commission. -
Business and Human Rights
30 November 2022SpeechExecutive discretion in a time of COVID-19
Responses to the COVID-19 pandemic have required very quick action by governments. But those responses have also involved significant limitations on people’s rights and freedoms, especially freedom of movement, and implemented through executive power often with limited parliamentary involvement. -
Technology and Human Rights
1 June 2023News story
Fighting Tech-facilitated Slavery
Learn about how technology is being used by criminals to increase slavery and what we can do to stop it. -
10 February 2021Conciliation register
2019-07-01
The complainant alleged the respondent employment agency posted an advertisement seeking a ‘young’ security professional. The employment agency said a mistake had been made and there had been no intent to exclude any person from applying, or being considered, for the role on the ground of age. The agency undertook to amend the advertisement and deliver anti-discrimination training to new… -
Commission – General
14 December 2022Speech
2022 Human Rights Day Oration by Larissa Behrendt
"No More Just Tinkering at the Edges" Human Rights Day Oration by Distinguished Professor Larissa Behrendt AO 9 December 2022 I pay my respects to the Gadigal and the Elders who have kept knowledge on this country and shared so generously this unceded land. Before I start, I would like to thank the Commission for the honour of the 2021 Human Rights Medal. The award reflects a long-term… -
Rights and Freedoms
9 July 2019Publication
Factsheet: Guide to the protections for freedom of religion (2019)
There are a number of protections for freedom of religion in Australian law. At the federal level, a person may make a complaint to the Australian Human Rights Commission or to the Fair Work Commission about discrimination on the basis of religion that occurs in the context of employment. -
Sex Discrimination
9 June 2023Media ReleaseCommission welcomes passage of new ACT intersex laws
New legislation protecting the rights of people in the Australian Capital Territory who have variations in sex characteristics (VSC) has been welcomed by the Commission. Yesterday the ACT Parliament passed the Variation in Sex Characteristics (Restricted Medical Treatment) Bill 2023 establishes legal protections and processes to support people with VSC to make their own decisions about… -
Commission – General
22 May 2024Webpage
Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights
The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights (PJCHR) is established by the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011. The committee's main function is to examine all bills and legislative instruments for compatibility with human rights, and to report to both Houses of Parliament on its findings. It also has a function to examine existing legislation and an inquiry function for… -
10 February 2021Conciliation register
2020-02-03
The complainant is deaf and worked for the respondent vocational training provider. He alleged that his employer and his manager discriminated against him on the ground of his disability, including by excluding him, failing to install visual fire alarms throughout the premises and failing to install a visual doorbell to the staff room. On being advised of the complaint, the respondents… -
Rights and Freedoms
21 August 2019Project
Freedom of Religion
For over 20 years now, the Commission has advocated for more comprehensive legal protection in Australia for freedom of thought, conscience and religion. -
14 January 2021Conciliation register
2019-05-16
The respondent labour-hire company placed the complainant at a dental practice in the role of dental assistant. The complainant alleged a dentist sexually harassed her, including by touching her arm, standing close to her, breathing down her neck and asking questions about her personal life. She alleged the labour-hire company stopped offering her work after she complained about the… -
Complaint Information Service11 February 2020Webpage
Make an enquiry
The Commission's Information Services The Commission has two information services that you can contact for information about the Commission's complaint handling function. They are: The Respect@Work Information Service The National Information Service Currently, our Information Service phone lines are open Monday - Friday between the hours of 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM Sydney time. Enquiries can be… -
Sex Discrimination
23 April 2024Webpage
Factsheets and other resources
The Commission has developed a range of other resources with information regarding the positive duty, including posters, factsheets, and case studies. -
11 September 2020Conciliation register
2019-01-06
The complainant has autism and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and has an assistance dog. She alleged the respondent public hospital denied her access to certain departments of the hospital when she attended appointments with her assistance animal. On being notified of the complaint, the hospital indicated a willingness to try to resolve the complaint by conciliation. The complaint was… -
30 September 2020Conciliation register
2019-02-05
The complainant has an intellectual disability and is non-verbal. The complainant’s advocate alleged that the respondent organisation delivering support to persons with disability required the complainant to sign a service agreement before delivering one-to-one support as set out in her NDIS plan. As the complainant did not have capacity to sign the agreement because of her disability, she… -
10 February 2021Conciliation register
2020-01-04
The complainant was employed as a store manager with the respondent retailer and injured his collar bone in a non-work-related incident. He said he was deemed unfit for any duties for four weeks and then fit for duties with restrictions on what weight he was able to lift. The complainant alleged the retailer and its owner would not allow him to return to work until he was fit to resume all… -
14 January 2021Conciliation register
2019-05-23
The complainant alleged that an offer of employment as a support worker in a community organisation was revoked by senior management because of her criminal record. She said she disclosed her criminal record during the recruitment process. The complainant had been convicted of minor theft and fraud offences approximately nine years earlier. She claimed the organisation offered her no… -
Disability Rights
19 July 2019SpeechRemember disability policy and research deals with the everyday lives
The following speech was an introductory address delivered by Disability Discrimination Commissioner Ben Gauntlett at a policy forum convened by the Centre for Research Excellence in Disability and Health, held in Canberra on July 18, 2019. Good morning and welcome to today’s policy forum, which has been organised by the Centre for Research Excellence in Disability and Health (CRE-DH). First… -
Disability Rights
19 March 2024Webpage
IncludeAbility - Equality at work
Explore these resources supporting employers to provide opportunities for people with disability, and people with disability to navigate pathways to employment. -
Rights and Freedoms
18 November 2022Speech
Housing and human rights - rights where it matters
Sandy Duncanson Memorial Lecture Housing and human rights – rights where it matters Hobart, 11 October 2022 Abstract Homelessness can happen to anyone. People with disability are at an increased risk and they are joined by a growing invisible cohort of older women. COVID-19 was a trigger for state governments to find shelter for people living rough, illustrating that solutions to…