Gay
People who are gay, lesbian or bisexual are protected from discrimination by law. The Sex Discrimination Act makes it unlawful to treat a person less favourably than another person in a similar situation because of their sexual orientation. There are some limited exemptions.
Example: It may be discrimination for an employer not to promote an employee to a more senior role because he is gay.
Same-sex couples are also protected from discrimination under the definition of ‘marital or relationship status’ in the Act.
Example: A company policy that offers benefits to an employee’s husband or wife, such as discounted travel or gym membership, may disadvantage employees with a same-sex partner because of their sexual orientation and/or relationship status.