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Disability Rights
26 November 2013Opinion pieceWe have to stop this
“Are you talking about rape? I’ve been raped many times. You just have to get used to it.” Imagine that your daughter, sister, mother, wife, girlfriend or female friend had the grave misfortune to have this happen to her - and that this statement, thick with defeat and resignation, was her response to such a gross perpetration of violence against her. Now imagine she is in a care facility… -
Rights and Freedoms
14 December 2012ProjectRural and Remote Education - Tasmania
Rural and Remote Education - Tasmania Submissions Tasmanian Government Tasmanian Catholic Education Commission Tasmanian Council of State School Parents and Friends Association Inc. Tasmanian hearings and meetings Devonport, 3 November 1999 Public meeting - notes Secondary students meeting - notes Queenstown, 4 November 1999 Public meeting - notes Secondary students meeting - notes Hobart, 5… -
Rights and Freedoms
14 December 2012Project
Rural and Remote Education - Victoria
Rural and Remote Education - Victoria Submissions Department of Education, Employment and Training Extracts from submissions Education costs Distance education Information technology Teacher incentives, development and retention Victorian hearings and meetings Bairnsdale, 11 November 1999 Secondary students meeting - summary Koorie workers meeting - summary Public meeting - summary Melbourne… -
Employers19 February 2015Quick Guide
Trade Union Activity
It can be discrimination when a person does not experience equal opportunity in employment because of his or her activity in a trade union. This includes being refused a job or dismissed from a job, being refused a promotion, transfer or other benefit associated with employment, given unfair terms or conditions of employment, being refused training opportunities, being refused flexible work … -
Employers19 February 2015Quick Guide
Transgender
People who are transgender are protected from discrimination by law. The Sex Discrimination Act makes it unlawful to treat a person less favourably than another person in a similar situation because of the gender-related identity, appearance, mannerisms or other gender-related characteristics of the person. Example: A shop assistant refused to serve a person who identifies and presents as a… -
Employers18 February 2015Quick Guide
Police Checks
An employer may be obliged to conduct a police check where there is a legal requirement that an employee or job applicant should not have a certain criminal record. However, an employer should only ask job applicants and employees to disclose criminal record information if certain criminal convictions or offences are relevant to the inherent requirements of the job. Asking an applicant or… -
Employers18 February 2015Quick Guide
Laws
The following federal anti-discrimination laws protect people from discrimination and harassment: Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth) Age Discrimination Act 2004 (Cth) Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth) Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth) Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) Federal discrimination laws prohibit discrimination in different areas of… -
Employers18 February 2015Quick Guide
Job Sharing
Job sharing is a flexible work arrangement where one job is done by more than one person. It can be an option if employees want to work part-time but the job that is available needs to be worked on a full-time basis. Example: One employee works part-time and does the job on Monday and Tuesday and another employee does the same job, also working part-time, on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday… -
Employers18 February 2015Quick Guide
Immigrant Status
It is against the law to discriminate against a person because that person is or has been an immigrant. There are some limited exceptions. Discrimination on the basis of immigrant status occurs when a person is treated less favourably, or not given the same opportunities as others in a similar situation, because of their immigrant status. This does not mean that an employer has to employ… -
Employers18 February 2015Quick Guide
Human Rights
Human rights are based on the principles of dignity, equality and mutual respect. Human rights recognise the inherent value of each person, regardless of their background, where they live, what they look like, what they think or what they believe. People’s human rights are respected when they are treated fairly and have the ability to make genuine choices in their daily lives. The operations… -
Employers18 February 2015Quick Guide
Gay
People who are gay, lesbian or bisexual are protected from discrimination by law. The Sex Discrimination Act makes it unlawful to treat a person less favourably than another person in a similar situation because of their sexual orientation. There are some limited exemptions. Example: It may be discrimination for an employer not to promote an employee to a more senior role because he is gay… -
Employers18 February 2015Quick Guide
Family Responsibilities
It is against the law for employers to discriminate directly against a person because of their responsibilities to care for a family member. This includes caring for a spouse or de-facto partner, child, grandchild, brother, sister, parent or grandparent. There are some limited exemptions. Discrimination happens when a person is treated less favourably than another person in the same or… -
Race Discrimination
11 June 2015Opinion piece40 years of the Racial Discrimination Act
Explore an opinion piece that celebrates 40 years of the Racial Discrimination Act by former Race Discrimination Commissioner, Dr Tim Soutphommasane. -
Employers13 February 2015Quick Guide
Breastfeeding
It is against the law to discriminate against women who are breastfeeding. This includes women who need to express milk by hand or using a pump. There are some limited exemptions. Discrimination happens when a woman is treated less favourably because she is breastfeeding or needs to breastfeed over a period of time. It is also discrimination when there is an unreasonable requirement or… -
LGBTIQ+
23 October 2014Opinion pieceIt's time for the transgender talk, Australia
The backlash against tweets directed at Catherine McGregor on Q&A last week should spark a conversation about transgender people in Australia. We must improve attitudes, writes Tim Wilson. We all need to learn something new for the first time, so let's use the opportunity presented by last week's episode of Q&A to educate Australians about treating transgender people with respect… -
Rights and Freedoms
14 December 2012Project
Discrimination on the Ground of Trade Union Activity
Report to the Attorney-General on an inquiry by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (the Commission) into a complaint of discrimination on the ground of trade union activity under the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1986 (Cth)(the Act). -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
14 December 2012ProjectNorthern Territory ‘Emergency Response’ intervention
Explore publications, speeches and media releases by the Human Rights Commission related to the Northern Territory' Emergency Response' intervention. -
Rights and Freedoms
14 December 2012Project
Human Rights and Euthanasia
Euthanasia, or voluntary assisted suicide, has been the subject of much moral, religious, philosophical, legal and human rights debate in Australia. At the core of this debate is how to reconcile competing values: the desire of individuals to choose to die with dignity when suffering, and the need to uphold the inherent right to life of every person, as recognised by article 6(1) of the ICCPR. -
Rights and Freedoms
26 March 2014Opinion piece
Free speech is best medicine for the bigotry disease
THE proposed amendments to the Racial Discrimination Act provide the basis for correcting the legal limits of free speech, promoting pluralism, opposing reprehensible racism and highlighting the importance of responsibility. Arguably the most important change is assessing an 18C violation based on “the standard of an ordinary reasonable member of the Australian community”. Interpretations… -
Commission – General
23 September 2014WebpagePayment Success
Thank you for purchasing your ticket/s to the Human Rights Award 2014 held on Wednesday 10th December at the Museum of Contemporary Art. An email has been sent to your email address confirming your details. If you have any queries you can contact the Human Rights Awards team on 02 9284 9779 or send us an email at hrawards@humanrights.gov.au