Push for federal protection

The Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has found broad support for the introduction of federal laws to protect people from discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and sex and gender identity.

Ahead of releasing its Addressing Sexual Orientation and Sex and/or Gender Identity Discrimination consultation report, AHRC president and Human Rights Commissioner Catherine Branson said the consultation undertaken last year had heard compelling evidence for the need for such laws.

“The Commission’s consultation revealed numerous and distressing stories of how people’s lives had been impacted and damaged by discrimination, violence or bullying on the basis of their sexual orientation and sex and/or gender identity,” Branson said.

“We also heard lots of different views on how human rights protections for this group of people could be strengthened, but by far the most frequently suggested solution was the inclusion of protections in federal laws.”

Branson said federal protection would provide legal remedies to GLBTI people who had been discriminated against because of their identity, while delivering social improvements in a range of areas.

“Providing federal protections against this type of discrimination would be a significant symbolic gesture which would help to bring about attitudinal change and ultimately improve the day-to-day lives of many people of diverse sexual orientations and sex and/or gender identities,” Branson said.

“Having federal laws which protect people from this type of discrimination, violence, harassment and bullying could particularly help to build self-esteem and resilience in young people.”

Submissions to the consultation also showed support for marriage equality as an important step towards full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people.

In 2010 the Liberals, Labor and the Greens all indicated support for discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity to be covered by federal legislation.

Branson noted that the Australian Government had reaffirmed a commitment to anti-discrimination legislation covering the GLBTI community in its appearance before the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review at the beginning of the year.

“The Commission is therefore pleased to provide this consultation report to assist the Government in its consideration of how these protections might be included in federal law, and of what other steps it might take to protect and promote the human rights of people of all sexual orientations and sex and/or gender identities,” Branson said.