Legislating for Equal Opportunity within Australia

Legislation promoting social change within Australia has been a topic of debate and controversy for over a decade. It is worth noting that it was a conservative government (Liberal‐National Coalition) that first introduced equal opportunity legislation in the form of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975. Since then the Sex Discrimination Act 1984, the Affirmative Action (Equal Employment Opportunity for Women) Act 1986, and the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1986 have been passed in Federal Parliament. In addition the Commonwealth Public Service, as well as government instrumentalities also operate under equal opportunity legislation. Four out of Australia's six states had introduced statewide legislation prior to the federal initiatives. (The very number of legis‐lative requirements lends support to the egalitarian ethic said to be characteristic of Australian culture.) Further social legislation is also in the pipeline with respect to the disabled, and industrial democracy to name some other priorities. This article will deal in the main with the federal legislation, with particular emphasis on equal opportunity legislation.