During the 1970s and 1980s there was a significant public support for laws that could change social practices in the areas of race and sex discrimination. The introduction of the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 was one such law and the objective, social impact and effectiveness of this act will be the subject of this essay. The Sex Discrimination Act 1984 has assisted in removing most formal legal barriers to women in the workplace and positively influenced the discourse of contemporary Australia, however more action is required to end discrimination.
The purpose of the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (SDA) is to give effect to Australia’s international human rights obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination …show more content…
Discrimination can be categorised into two groups’ direct discrimination and indirect discrimination. Direct discrimination exists where an action taken directly unfairly targets or discriminates against a protected class for example. Male workers getting paid twice as much as female workers who are performing the same job. Indirect discrimination exists where a policy or rule inadvertently places a person at a disadvantage or exposes them to unfair treatment. An example of indirect discrimination would be a policy that states that all managers must work full-time. This policy indirectly discriminates against women who might need part-time work due to responsibilities of caring for children. (FindLaw Australia 2015, para …show more content…
The removal of legal barriers has with regards to sex discrimination has allowed women greater opportunity and access to employment. (Gaze 2004, pg3) The influence of the SDA in contemporary Australian issues can be examined currently as The Australian Human Rights Commission and the Defence Force have engaged in a collaboration to reform the cultural discourse that exists within the Defence Force. (Australian Human Rights Commission 2015, para 1) The collaboration is an attempt at the defence force to address concerns over recent accusations that there exists a culture that denigrates women. The cultural reform described as a pathway to change will include identifying areas where reform progress could be accelerated, identifying further issues not previously addressed as well as providing interviews, focus groups, data analysis and educational programs aimed to promote a culture of equality and respect. (Australian Human Rights Commission 2015 para 2-4) The SDA gives authority to, and employs a Sex Discrimination Commissioner who provides a vital role when shaping public opinion. Outside of the Commissioners duties to conciliate and resolve disputes they also have the power to carry out research, policy development and advocacy in public and in political debate. The commissioner plays a vital role as an authoritative voice for women’s
The purpose of the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (SDA) is to give effect to Australia’s international human rights obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination …show more content…
Discrimination can be categorised into two groups’ direct discrimination and indirect discrimination. Direct discrimination exists where an action taken directly unfairly targets or discriminates against a protected class for example. Male workers getting paid twice as much as female workers who are performing the same job. Indirect discrimination exists where a policy or rule inadvertently places a person at a disadvantage or exposes them to unfair treatment. An example of indirect discrimination would be a policy that states that all managers must work full-time. This policy indirectly discriminates against women who might need part-time work due to responsibilities of caring for children. (FindLaw Australia 2015, para …show more content…
The removal of legal barriers has with regards to sex discrimination has allowed women greater opportunity and access to employment. (Gaze 2004, pg3) The influence of the SDA in contemporary Australian issues can be examined currently as The Australian Human Rights Commission and the Defence Force have engaged in a collaboration to reform the cultural discourse that exists within the Defence Force. (Australian Human Rights Commission 2015, para 1) The collaboration is an attempt at the defence force to address concerns over recent accusations that there exists a culture that denigrates women. The cultural reform described as a pathway to change will include identifying areas where reform progress could be accelerated, identifying further issues not previously addressed as well as providing interviews, focus groups, data analysis and educational programs aimed to promote a culture of equality and respect. (Australian Human Rights Commission 2015 para 2-4) The SDA gives authority to, and employs a Sex Discrimination Commissioner who provides a vital role when shaping public opinion. Outside of the Commissioners duties to conciliate and resolve disputes they also have the power to carry out research, policy development and advocacy in public and in political debate. The commissioner plays a vital role as an authoritative voice for women’s