Submission to NT Modernisation of the Anti-Discrimination Act: Discussion Paper

PIAC provided a comprehensive submission in response to the Northern Territory Department of the Attorney-General and Justice Discussion Paper looking at modernisation of the Anti-Discrimination Act.

This included support for replacing the outdated protected attribute of ‘sexuality’, with sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics (which is an updated term covering people with intersex variations). PIAC also supported adding further attributes of domestic violence, accommodation status and lawful sex work.

PIAC supported the introduction of anti-vilification protections in the Northern Territory for the first time, covering race as well as a range of other attributes, including disability, religious belief, sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics.

The submission also addresses the question of religious exceptions, and argues for such exceptions to be wound back, in many cases only allowing discrimination on the basis of religious belief itself, rather than on the basis of other attributes (such as sex).

Finally, PIAC supported a range of procedural improvements to the Act, including enabling representative complaints, as well as extending the term of appointment for the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner.