EQUAL OPPORTUNITY BILL TO TACKLE SYSTEMIC DISCRIMINATION
Source: Victoria. Attorney General. Media Release
"Efforts to stamp out entrenched and systemic discrimination against minority groups will be boosted through upcoming reforms to equal opportunity laws, Deputy Premier and Attorney-General Rob Hulls said.
Mr Hulls said a new Equal Opportunity Bill, to be introduced into Parliament, would give the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission the ability to investigate persistent and systemic discrimination without first requiring a complaint to be made. “This reform puts the emphasis on prevention and early intervention to eliminate systemic discrimination, and ensures that when the Commission becomes aware of a serious possible contravention of the Equal Opportunity Act, it will have the ability to investigate without a complaint being made,” Mr Hulls said. This will mean the Commission can act on pervasive and systemic discrimination on a range of issues, such as widespread sexual harassment in a particular industry or older workers being denied opportunities for promotion or training."