ALHR Newsletter

ALHR Newsletters → 2010 → April → 20

Press Release - Victorian Equal Opporunity Act 2010

20/04/2010

In this newsletter: PRESS RELEASE by Australian Lawyers for Human Rights in relation to the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Victoria).

For queries and further discussion please contact Stephen Keim, ALHR National President, on 0433 846 518.

Kind regards

Lily Tsen | Mandy Lister
0414 77 5167 | 0407 023 053
Victorian Co-Convenors, ALHR

ALHR: Press Release - Victorian Equal Opportunity Act 2010

PRESS RELEASE

20 April 2010

Victorian Equal Opportunity Act 2010

Australian Lawyers for Human Rights welcomes the passage on 15 April 2010 by Victorian State Parliament of The Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Victoria) (the Act). The Act comes into effect in August 2010 and will assist in eliminating entrenched and systemic discrimination against minority groups in Victoria.

Prelude to the Act - Equal Opportunity Review 2007

In August 2007, Victorian Attorney-General, Robert Hulls MP, announced an independent review of the Equal Opportunity Act 1995 (Victoria) to investigate methods for eliminating discrimination and promoting equal opportunity in Victoria. A final report, ?An Equality Act for Fairer Victoria?, was submitted to Mr Hulls in June 2008.

Overview of the Changes

Amongst other things, the Act provides the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (the VEOHRC) with more effective options for responding to systemic discrimination, including by:

empowering it to investigate persistent and systemic discrimination in the absence of a complaint;
empowering it to issue compliance notices and enter into enforceable undertakings with discriminatory organisations; and
expanding its role from that of complaints-handling body to educational facilitator.

The Act also:

provides complainants with more flexible (including alternative dispute resolution) options, including the ability to put their matter before the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal; and
encourages best practice and proactive compliance by duty-holders by creating a statutory duty not to discriminate and requiring employers to make reasonable adjustments for individuals with disability.

Australian Lawyers for Human Rights applauds the Victorian State Government for removing existing legal and technical barriers in its anti-discrimination and equal opportunity laws. It also applauds the Victorian State Government for proactively working towards the protection of human rights in Victoria.

Stephen Keim
National President
Mobile: 0433 846 518

Mandy Lister
Mobile: 0407 023 053
Lily Tsen
Mobile: 0414 775 167
Victorian Co-Convenors

Australian Lawyers for Human Rights

20 April 2010