Wednesday, 5 May 2010
First phase of Sex Discrimination Act reform now assured
Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Elizabeth Broderick, said today that she was pleased to see the Government response to the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs' Effectiveness of the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 in eliminating discrimination and promoting gender equality report tabled in Parliament yesterday.
"This announcement is a good outcome that ensures the first phase of reform of the Sex Discrimination Act," Commissioner Broderick said.
"It is particularly exciting news for the Australian Human Rights Commission because reform of the Sex Discrimination Act was one of the strategic objectives outlined in our plan of action to progress gender equality in Australia, which I launched after the completion of my 2008 listening tour," said Commissioner Broderick.
Commissioner Broderick said the response from the Government proposed immediate action that would:
- ensure that the protection from discrimination provided by the Sex Discrimination Act applies equally to women and men;
- establish breastfeeding as a separate ground of discrimination;
- provide greater protection from sexual harassment for students and workers; and
- extend protection from discrimination on the grounds of family responsibilities to both women and men in all areas of employment.
"This response provides a vision of reform for the future that will act as an excellent first step to providing much improved protection at the federal level, not only in the area of sex discrimination, but in relation to discrimination issues more broadly," Commissioner Broderick said.
"I’m also encouraged that a number of other Senate recommendations for reform, which are not to be implemented immediately, will be considered as part of the consolidation of Australia’s federal anti-discrimination Acts, scheduled for later this year," Commissioner Broderick said.
Ms Broderick said she wanted to congratulate all the women's organisations, academics and others who had applied their best thinking to reforming the Sex Discrimination Act for all people in Australia. She also wanted to take the opportunity to acknowledge the work of Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, chaired by Senator Trish Crossin, whose report will stand as an solid road map for ongoing reform in discrimination law in Australia.
Media contacts: Brinsley Marlay 02 9284 9656 or 0430 366 529
