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Laws

Employers

The following federal anti-discrimination laws protect people from discrimination and harassment:

  • Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth)
  • Age Discrimination Act 2004 (Cth)
  • Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth)
  • Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth)
  • Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth)
  • Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth)

Federal discrimination laws prohibit discrimination in different areas of public life against people on the basis of:

  • race, including colour, national or ethnic origin or immigrant status
  • sex, pregnancy, marital status, family responsibilities and breastfeeding
  • age
  • disability
  • sexual orientation, gender identity and intersex status.

State and territories also have laws against discrimination. While they share a number of similarities, state and territory laws may cover additional grounds of discrimination and can apply in slightly different ways.