Proposed Anti-Discrimination Act amendments now open for public consultation

NT Government

The Territory Labor Government is modernising the Anti-Discrimination Act 1992 with draft amendments now open for public consultation.

The Anti-Discrimination Amendment Bill 2022 (Exposure Draft Bill) follows a comprehensive review of the Act by the Department of the Attorney-General and Justice that focused on contemporising legislation in line with community expectations.

The amendments seek to protect Territorians from discrimination; promote equality; and address concerns with the operation of the current legislation.

Key features of the Draft Bill include:

additions to protected attributes such as gender, carer responsibilities, and sexual orientation;expanding protection against discrimination for a broader range of ‘assistance animals’ used by people with a range of disabilities;a positive duty to eliminate discrimination, sexual harassment and victimisation;prohibiting acts of vilification based on protected attributes;increased scope of sexual harassment protections;equal protection for people who provide and receive goods and services; anda new representative complaints process.

Have your say on the Exposure Draft Bill here here.

Quotes attributable to Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Chansey Paech:

“The Territory Labor Government has a strong track record of supporting human rights and anti-discrimination measures, and the planned amendments will strengthen our resolve for equality across the NT.

“Our unique demographic means Territorians are vulnerable to inequities based on race, culture, gender, and a range of other factors such as sexuality and age; and our mission is to ensure our laws are both reflective of modern values and protective of our diverse community.

“Amendments to the Act will promote a rights-based approach and close the divide for our current and future generations.

“I urge Territorians to have their say on the proposed amendments because it is important that changes are representative of all Territory voices.”

/Public Release. View in full here.