Disability discrimination
The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 prohibits discrimination on the ground of a person’s disability in many areas of public life. These include employment, education, access to premises and access to goods, services and facilities.
The Department does not handle complaints of disability discrimination. The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission investigates and conciliated discrimination complaints. The Commission’s contact details are:
Level 8, Piccadilly Tower
133 Castlereagh Street
SYDNEY NSW 2000
Telephone: (02) 9284 9600
Complaints Infoline: 1300 656 419
www.humanrights.gov.au
The Commission can also provide more information about the Disability Discrimination Act.
Disability Standards
The Disability Discrimination Act allows the Attorney-General to make standards on particular topics. The standards give more information about what needs to be done to ensure people with disability are not discriminated against.
So far, two standards have been made. Each of these is explained on a separate page.
Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002
Disability Standards for Education 2005
International obligations
Until recently there has not been a specific international convention about disability discrimination. But now, the negotiations for a new United nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities have concluded. The Department has been involved in the negotiations on the draft United Nations convention. We have consulted with disability, human rights, legal and business organisations on the draft convention. The draft convention will be put to the United Nations General Assembly for adopting during its 61st session (2006-2007).