How will we now protect survivors and victims of domestic violence from the discrimination we know they face in the workplace and in accessing safe, secure, long-term accommodation?
The Attorney General, Mark Dreyfus QC, has just announced that the Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Bill 2012 will be on hold, missing a once-in-a-decade opportunity to introduce much-needed protections for survivors and victims of domestic violence. The Government will be introducing the Sex Discrimination Amendment (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Intersex Status) Bill to protect gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex people from discrimination in Commonwealth laws, which is obviously welcomed, but the protections must go much further. Read the Government media release
AWAVA are very supportive of the Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Bill 2012 and are extremely disappointed that the recommendation to include the status of being a survivor/victim of domestic violence as a protected attribute stands and falls with the Bill
“We have a once-in-a-decade opportunity to make a real difference to women who are currently experiencing, or have experienced, domestic and family violence by including the status of being a survivor/victim of domestic violence as a protected attribute in the consolidated Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination (HRAD) Bill 2012. Not taking this opportunity to provide a much-needed protection and support to women is an absolute travesty.”
“How do we protect Australia’s most vulnerable women if there is no specific legislative protection from the discrimination we know they still face in the workplace and when seeking safe, secure and long-term accommodation? If we can include protections in the Fair Work Act and workplace indicators, why not in our discrimination laws? We know that this is absolutely needed for the safety and security of women and their children to find their way out, and stay out of,abusive relationships.” – Julie Oberin, Chair of AWAVA
Read AWAVA’s full Media Release here
