Australian Human Rights Commission call for submissions

04/09/2024

The Australian Human Rights Commission is calling for submissions to inform the creation of resources to make workplaces safer, shape policy recommendations and ensure Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBUs) and employers comply with the positive duty under Part IIA of the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth).

Barristers and barristers’ chambers are PCBUs. The positive duty under Part IIA of the SD Act compels all PCBUs and employers to take reasonable and proportionate measures to eliminate, as far as possible, the proscribed conduct. That conduct includes sexual harassment, sex-based harassment, sex discrimination in certain areas, victimisation and the creation of work environments hostile on the ground of sex. Enforcement provisions under the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth) commenced in December 2023.

The AHRC is calling for submissions from all Australians aged 18 and over who have experienced the proscribed discriminatory conduct, particularly sexual harassment and/or sex-based harassment. The AHRC seeks input on what needs to change and improve.

Please consider making a submission here, which the AHRC will de-identify and anonymise.

The AHRC has also published guidelines on how PCBUs can comply with the positive duty.