Since the Commission was established it has undertaken a section 80 investigation into racial discrimination in housing and accommodation and several research projects into goods and services and education under the grounds of race, sexual orientation and gender history/identity, impairment and age. Findings of each were published in the following reports :
- Indigenous Interpreting Services: Is there a need
- Guidelines for supporting sexual and gender diversity in schools
- Are you being catered for: Food menus and people with visual impairment
- Age is not a use by date: A snapshot of the experiences of discrimination among Western Australia's seniors
The Commission also established the CEOs for Gender Equity following the former federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner Liz Broderick's model Male Champions for Change, to address gender inequality in the workplace.
CEOs for Gender Equity
Show moreThe initiative
The CEOs for Gender Equity was an Equal Opportunity Commission initiative bringing 17 influential Perth-based CEOs together to progress gender equity in Western Australia.
They originally chose to concentrate on three focus areas to progress equality from the beginning of a girl's education through to the pinnacle of her career.
The three focus areas were:
- Education
- Workplace Flexibility
- Women in Leadership
Action items for each of the focus areas are listed in the CEOs for Gender Equity Statement of Intent
The original CEOs
- Ms Allanah Lucas, Commissioner for Equal Opportunity
- Mr Terry Agnew, Group Chief Executive Officer, RAC (WA)
- Mr Michael Anghie, Managing Partner, Ernst & Young
- Ms Irina Cattalini, Chief Executive Officer, WA Council of Social Service Inc
- Mr Alan Cransberg, Chairman and Managing Director, Alcoa of Australia Limited
- Mr Todd Creeger, President Australia West, Conoco Phillips
- Mr Rob De Luca, Managing Director, Bankwest
- Mr Barry Felstead, Chief Executive, Crown Perth
- Mr David Flanagan, Executive Chairman, Atlas Iron Limited
- Mr Richard Goyder, Managing Director, Wesfarmers Limited
- Mr Chris Hall, Chief Executive Officer, MercyCare
- Ms Jenni Hill, Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright Australia
- Mr Reg Howard-Smith, Chief Executive Officer, Chamber of Minerals & Energy
- Professor Paul Johnson, Vice Chancellor, University of Western Australia
- Ms Anne Nolan, Director General, Department of Finance
- Mr Chris Sutherland, Managing Director, Programmed
- Mr Naveen Unni, Partner, McKinsey & Company
- Ms Deirdre Willmott, Chief Executive Officer, Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Discrimination and bullying in schools project
Show moreDiscrimination & bullying in schools project
Guidelines for supporting sexuality and gender diversity in school
The Guidelines for supporting sexual and gender diversity in schools were created to assist schools, in both public and private education sectors, to effectively address bullying specific to sexuality and gender diversity. The Guidelines have also been written to create greater awareness and to encourage a whole school and community approach to this issue.
Aligned with the principles of the National Safe Schools Framework, the Guidelines aim to draw on the strengths of school communities to create teaching and learning environments where all members feel, and are, safe from discrimination, bullying and harassment.
Furthermore, Australia has both national and state legislation that underpins the respect, fairness and safety expected in school environments.
Catering for everyone
Show moreThese guidelines have been developed by the Equal Opportunity Commission and VisAbility to provide hospitality venues with some cost effective suggestions.
Age is not a use by date
Show moreThis snapshot has been developed by the Equal Opportunity Commission to better understand the impacts of age, and other types of discrimination, on people living in WA over the age of 55.
It captures responses from a state-wide survey, as well as consultations with seniors' representative organisations in WA.
The snapshot, released during Senior’s Week, documents the findings of consultations with seniors’ representative organisations and a state-wide survey of Western Australians over the age of 55.
Seniors and seniors’ organisations both reported greater impact on seniors where age discrimination intersected with other types of discrimination, such as race, sex and impairment.
Findings showed mature aged women seem particularly vulnerable in their post working life due to not having accumulated sufficient superannuation or assets to support themselves.
The Commission believes discrimination occurs against older people from our enquiries line and engaging people through our regular community outreach programs; however generally this group is less likely to lodge a formal complaint.
This is partly because the onus of proof is on the complainant. Many seniors reported they felt ignored or ‘invisible’ at work and when receiving goods and services, and it is very hard to prove this is because of their age.
Section 80 investigation into race discrimination into public housing
Show moreBackground to the inquiry
In the period 2003-2004, the Commissioner for Equal Opportunity conducted an extensive investigation into discrimination in public housing against Aboriginal people.
The investigation found there were many areas where the policies and practices of the then Department of Housing and Works tended to provide greater difficulties for Aboriginal people in either gaining or maintaining tenancies. These tenancies were characterised by large families, parents and grandparents in poor health, poverty and previous Homeswest tenancies.
For some Aboriginal people regular periods of upheaval due to premature death of relatives, chronic disease and disability, neighborhood disputes about cultural issues and obligations foreign to most Australians added to the difficulties.
The report - Finding a Place
The report of this investigation, Finding a Place, made 165 recommendations which over the five years since its release have been progressively implemented by the Department of Housing in partnership with the Equal Opportunity Commission.
The first recommendation of Finding a Place was to establish a committee to oversee the implementation of the recommendations of the report.
Implementing Finding a Place
The Monitoring Committee oversaw the implementation of the recommendations of Finding a Place. It also responded to new initiatives or changes in policy or legislation which may have a bearing on the provision of housing for Aboriginal people.
The inaugural meeting of the Committee was held in 2005. The Committee had a broad membership from government agencies such as the Department of Indigenous Affairs, the Department of Child Protection, Strong Families and community organisations who deal with the issues of housing and tenancy such as the Aboriginal Legal Service, Tenants Advice Service, Shelter, WA Council of Social Service and advocate organisations such as Jacaranda and Day Dawn. There were also individual community advocates who represent Aboriginal clients.
The Committee formally ended on 12 July 2010, however it was agreed that six monthly forums would continue.
The future
The challenge for the Equal Opportunity Commission and the Department of Housing is to ensure that the Department of Housing and Work's policies, procedures and practices do not have unintended adverse effects for Aboriginal people therefore leading them to be being treated less favourably as an existing or prospective tenant.
The report A Better Way makes recommendations about dealing with disruptive behaviour by public housing tenants. It looks at best practice from other jurisdictions and it endorses the view that with the exception of dangerous or illegal activity normal household noise and behaviour that arises from a tenancy should be addressed in a supportive manner where it impacts on others.
A significant proportion of public housing tenants come from disadvantaged backgrounds and have health problems including mental health issues. The trend in public housing in Australia is for this proportion to increase. This requires the development of a range of early intervention and supportive measures tailored to the circumstances of individuals and families whose tenancies show signs of stress.
Section 80 investigation into private housing
Show moreBackground
In 2008 the Commissioner for Equal Opportunity commenced an inquiry into whether people from minority racial groups (in particular Aboriginal people) experience discrimination (direct or indirect) on the basis of their race in the private rental housing market.
The inquiry was conducted through submissions from organisations who deal regularly with issues of tenancy and through stories of the individual Aboriginal and ethnic minority people who believe they have suffered less favourable treatment in the private rental housing market. The Commissioner also invited comment from any other interested persons or groups, including representatives from the real estate industry.
The inquiry examined the possible causes and appropriate remedies for addressing any race-based discrimination identified in the private rental housing market, including liaison and consultation with the private rental industry where appropriate.
The report of the inquiry Accommodating Everyone was launched on 22 June 2009.
Implementation
The Commissioner has pursued a number of the recommendations of the report such as direct submission to the Real Estate and Business Agents Supervisory Board about extension to the compulsory anti-discrimination training of agents and property managers and also by making a written submission on the proposal for national standardisation of residential tenancy databases.
In September 2009 the Commission joined the monitoring committee on the implementation of the recommendations of Accommodating Everyone which was jointly convened by the Office of Multicultural Interests and Department of Indigenous Affairs. This Committee has a broad representation of relevant state and commonwealth government agencies, non-government organisations and real estate industry representation.
The report of outcomes of the implementation process was released in March 2011.
