The Australian Parliament has passed laws that aim to protect people from certain types of discrimination in public life and from breaches of their human rights by Commonwealth departments and agencies.
They include the:
- Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986
- Age Discrimination Act 2004
- Disability Discrimination Act 1992 - A number of standards sit under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 concerning access to premises, public transport and education.
- Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport
- Disability Standards for Education
- Disability (Access to Premises - Buildings) Standards
These laws operate in conjunction with Victorian human rights legislation.
The Australian Government Attorney-General’s Department has responsibility for administering these laws.
The Australian Human Rights Commission has responsibility for overseeing the application of these laws. Find out more about what they cover and how they work.
Case law associated with these laws is available on AustLII and various subscription legal databases.
