ACT discrimination laws need to change - review »

A review of discrimination laws in the ACT has recommended fundamental changes to help the community fully understand discriminatory conduct. The review of the Discrimination Act 1991 (ACT) was done by the ACT Law Reform Advisory Council (LRAC), a collaboration between the ACT Government and the ANU College of Law. Chaired by the ANU College of Law's Professor Simon Rice, the review has provided recommendations to the ACT Attorney-General following 12 months of consultations with the public, community groups and stakeholders. It found the Discrimination Act should be re-crafted to make it easier to identify when discrimination should be prohibited and when it might be justified. "Non-discrimination is a right that underpins our rights and freedoms," Professor Rice said. "These recommendations offer a new approach to managing the interaction between the Human Rights Act and our discrimination laws." The review proposed the Discrimination Act should have two principal parts - the first setting out what conduct is discriminatory and a second part recognising when and where discriminatory conduct can be justified. Professor Rice said the consultations found widespread support for a simple law that is easy to understand.