HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYERS WELCOME ACT AMENDMENTS TO DISCRIMINATION LAW
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) welcomes recent changes to expand discrimination law in the ACT.
The Discrimination Amendment Bill 2016 (ACT) expands discrimination law to now include extra grounds on which discrimination is prohibited including where it is based on a person’s accommodation status, employment status, intersex status, status as a victim of family or domestic violence, immigration status or their physical features, genetic information or a record of their sex having been altered.
ALHR welcome these changes that improve the range and scope of protections against unfair, unwarranted and unreasonable treatment of ACT citizens based on their background and/or personal circumstances.
“These changes further promote and complement the rights to equality and freedom from discrimination in section 8 of the Human Rights Act 2005 (HRA). The process for making a complaint under the Human Rights Commission Act 2005 has now been made easier by linking that to ACT discrimination law and processes,” ALHR ACT Convenor, Sangeeta Sharmin, said.
“These changes represent a very positive step and are in line with developments in discrimination law nationally and internationally. We congratulate the ACT Government.”
Contact: To arrange an interview with Sangeeta Sharmin, please contact Mat Mitchell on 0431 980 365 or at media@alhr.org.au