The Federal Government has released an exposure draft Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Bill 2012, which aims to consolidate five existing Commonwealth anti-discrimination acts into a single law.

 

Attorney-General Nicola Roxon said the Bill was drawn up along the following key principles:

  • Lift differing levels of protections to the highest current standard, to resolve gaps and inconsistencies without diminishing protections.
  • Clearer and more efficient laws provide greater flexibility in their operation, with no substantial change in practical outcome.
  • Enhance protections where the benefits outweigh any regulatory impact.
  • Voluntary measures that business can take to assist their understanding of obligations and reduce occurrences of discrimination.
  • A streamlined complaints process, to make it more efficient to resolve disputes that do arise.

 

The Government has announced it will ask the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee to conduct an inquiry into the Bill, while interested parties and stakeholders will be able to provide their views during the process.

 

The discussion paper can be found here