The Acts

Discrimination means treating someone unfairly because they belong to a particular group of people. The NSW Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 passed by the NSW Parliament makes the types of discrimination listed below unlawful:

Part 9A of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 is about Equal Opportunity in Public Employment. The purpose of this part is to:

1. eliminate and ensure the absence of discrimination in employment on the grounds of race, sex, marital status and disability, and
2. to promote equal employment opportunity for women, members of racial minorities and persons who have a disability.

Section 122J of Part 9A, outlines the requirements for Public Sector agencies (including Universities) to produce EEO Management plans to achieve EEO outcomes and submit them to the Director of Equal Opportunity in Public Employment.

The formulation of three yearly Disability Action Plans by State Government Agencies is a requirement of section 9 of the NSW Disability Services Act 1993. Disability Action Plans detail the strategies that agencies use to adjust their programs so that their services better meet the needs of people with disabilities.

These are to be submitted to the Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care (DADHC). Further information is available by contacting DADHC on dapunit@dadhc.nsw.gov.au.

Section 60 of this Act encourages organisations, including universities, to develop and implement a Disability Action Plan and Section 64 encourages organisations to lodge the Plan with the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission.