About Human Rights Legal Research & Resources
The Australian Human Rights Commission, legally known as the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, is responsible for administering the:
- Age Discrimination Act 2004
- Disability Discrimination Act 1992
- Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1986
- Racial Discrimination Act 1975
- Sex Discrimination Act 1984
These laws give the Commission a wide range of legal responsibilities.
We have a role to review legislation and make recommendations about laws and government policies and programs that involve human rights issues. Our submissions are presented to government agencies, parliamentary committees and other inquiry bodies and the Commission also makes formal reports to Parliament on enactments it has examined.
Individuals can make complaints of human rights breaches and certain acts of discrimination in employment under the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1986. After inquiring into the matter, we prepare a report of the complaint for the Attorney General. HREOCA reports are tabled in federal Parliament.
The Commission provides assistance to the courts in our role as amicus curiae ('friend of the court') and through our ability to intervene in cases, with the permission of the court. Our role is to provide specialist submissions on human rights and discrimination issues, independent from the parties.
We have clear guidelines that must be satisfied before we seek to become involved in a case.
The Commission assesses applications for exemptions under the ADA, DDA and SDA, and processes requests for information under FOI applications.
We publish Federal Discrimination Law (and periodical supplements), which provides detailed analysis of unlawful discrimination cases.
By subscribing to the legal mailing list you can receive regular updates on Commission submissions, publications, interventions and other work carried out by the Legal Section.
