The Disability Information and Resource Centre

The Equal Opportunity Commission currently have a limited number of places available for the following courses:

19 May, 9am – 12pm – Advanced skills for managers and supervisors

This workshop is designed to enhance the skills of experienced managers and supervisors in the early intervention of disputes and complaint handling. The workshop assumes a sound knowledge of equal opportunity laws and focuses on preventing inappropriate behaviour in the workplace. By the end of the workshop, participants will have gained the following skills:

• Early intervention in workplace disputes
• Confidence in dealing with situations of conflict
• Role modelling respectful behaviours
• Complaint handling skills

11 May, 9am – 12pm – Workplace bullying, discrimination and harassment

This workshop for staff identifies appropriate and inappropriate behaviours and some low key, but effective, ways of intervening early. By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

• Describe what is meant by discrimination, harassment and bullying
• Understand its impact in the workplace
• Understand their rights and responsibilities
• Know what to do and where to go for help

To find out more, or to register, call the Equal Opportunity Commission on 8207 1977 or go to http://www.eoc.sa.gov.au/site/eo_resources/training/current_courses.jsp

On 14 July 2009, the SA Parliament passed the Equal Opportunity (Miscellaneous) Amendment Bill, strengthening SA laws and giving South Australians better options to solve discrimination problems locally.

There is more protection for:

• people who care for a dependent child or a family member
• people with a mental illness, or an infection without symptoms
• domestic partners
• people discriminated against because of their spouse or partner
• contractors
• people who have been sexually harassed.

Workers have better protection, if they:

• are sexually harassed and the employer has not taken reasonable steps to prevent the harassment
• are harassed by customers or clients – such as waiters harassed by patrons, and care workers harassed by residents
• wear dress or adornments symbolic of their religion.

Schools and universities must have sexual harassment policies.  And, students and staff are able to lodge a complaint about sexual harassment by any student aged 16 or over.

The time limit for lodging a complaint is doubled, from six months to twelve months.

Also, some outdated laws have been repealed:

• clubs and associations may not turn away homosexual members
• small partnerships may not refuse to admit new members to partnership on the ground of their sexuality
• church-run hospitals, aged-care homes and welfare agencies may not discriminate on sexuality.

A commencement date for the new law is yet to be fixed.  For more information, go to:  www.eoc.sa.gov.au

Do you want to know more about the proposed changes to the Equal Opportunity Act 1984 (SA)?

A new downloadable document on the Equal Opportunity Commission website – Proposed Equal Opportunity Changes 2009 – outlines:

• the reasons for change
• new and expanded grounds of discrimination
• how the law will change for carers, people with disability, religious institutions, and contractors
• how the law will change in relation to sexuality and sexual harassment
• the Commissioner’s role.

Link to the site here.

2 July 2008

Attorney-General Robert McClelland has today announced two substantive appointments to the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. These appointments were welcomed by Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities Bill Shorten and Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs Laurie Ferguson.

Mr Graeme Innes AM has been appointed Disability Discrimination Commissioner and Mr Tom Calma has been appointed as Race Discrimination Commissioner.

Since 1997, the former Government refused to fill these positions – instead appointing acting Commissioners while they unsuccessfully tried to enact legislation to weaken the independence of the Commission.

“It is clearly unacceptable to have acting appointments for periods exceeding 10 years,” Mr McClelland said.

“Both Commissioners have made a significant contribution to the public debate on disability and race discrimination and have enhanced the Commission’s role in advancing and protecting human rights in Australia.”

Mr Innes is the current Human Rights Commissioner and has acted as Disability Discrimination Commissioner since December 2005. Mr Calma is the current Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner and has acted as the Race Discrimination Commissioner since July 2004.

“Mr Innes is an extremely effective representative of the disability sector, campaigning for equal treatment and access for people with disabilities,” Mr Shorten said.

“Mr Calma is a strong advocate of all Australians being treated equally, regardless of their background,” Mr Ferguson said.

The Rudd Government will work with the Commission on options for its long-term structure to ensure that it can continue its important role in promoting human rights in Australia.

Media Contact:
Adam Sims (Mr McClelland) 0419 480 224
Cath Sullivan (Mr Shorten) 0448 025 042
Khaldoun Hajaj (Mr Ferguson) 0404 078 692