Page 2482 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 7 August 1990
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DEBATES of the Legislative Assembly for the
Australian Capital Territory
Weekly Hansard 20-21-22 March 1190
22 March 1990
composition of the community. As far as antidiscrimination legislation is concerned, those who are informed on the subject realise that it is a very complex and difficult area of law. Due regard must be paid to the fact that there is already a system of Commonwealth laws which operates in the ACT in human rights matters. I refer to the sex Discrimination Act, the Racial Discrimination Act and the HPLEOC Act, to name only some.
These Commonwealth laws are commendable, but they do not provide a complete coverage of human rights matters. That brings me to the first point about bringing a HEROIC office back here. They do not deal with a complete coverage. For example, certain acts of discrimination may provide HEROIC with grounds for reporting on such activities, but there are no avenues of redress, such as a determination. Proposals on a suggested system of lava to complement the Commonwealth scheme in the ACT were well advanced when the Alliance Government came to power on 5 December 1989. The former Follett Government announced these initiatives in its policy discussion paper after, I believe, the motion of no confidence was moved in it.
I have reviewed a set of proposals on antidiscrimination laws put to me by officers of the Government Law Office. I was impressed with the proposals, but I believe they did not go far enough. For example, I believe that the issue of age discrimination is critical and of immediate concern but was not addressed in the papers that had been advanced by the former Government. I instructed my officers to analyse that issue and ensure that it is included in the overall proposal for legislation.
I also draw attention to the need to examine the problem of discrimination surrounding HIV patients and those who provide care for each persons. In that context I Went to Sydney, with my principal private secretary; we drove just about all night and got there at 1.00 am. In the morning we met with Professor Patricia Hyndman at the University of New South Wales and her colleagues. I had a brief discussion with Professor Ivan Sheerer who is known to me in these contexts.
Two issues arose out of that. The first is that we had a pretty good package of lava, partly needing development, particularly in the age discrimination area and in one or two other areas. Specifically, I proposed to Professor myndman that we move to have a seminar in the ACT at an early date, at arms length from my office, at arms length from political issues, so that we can get this debate on a non-political basis where humanitarian concerns belong In due course, I trust that I can bring the excellent academics from the Human Rights Centre at the University of New South Wales to Canberra to fill is .a gap here on these issues and to hold a seminar - a public seminar, hopefully - on the issues. That is in answer to a comment made by the Leader of the Opposition about that trip.
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