In May 2021, Queensland’s Attorney-General asked the Queensland Human Rights Commission (the Commission) to undertake a review of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1991 (Qld).

The Anti‑Discrimination Act plays a central role in protecting and promoting equality and belonging in Queensland. This review, which marks the thirtieth anniversary of the Act, provides an opportunity to undertake a holistic re-evaluation of all aspects of Queensland’s discrimination law.

In this report, the Queensland Human Rights Commission presents reforms to ensure the law is effective in protecting people from discrimination and sexual harassment.

Key recommendations:

• Eliminate discrimination. Introduce a new Act to protect and promote the right to equality and eliminate discrimination and sexual harassment to the greatest extent possible.
• Refine the key concepts. Ensure the legal tests for discrimination respond effectively to the problems they are seeking to address and are easy to understand and apply.
• Shift the focus to prevention. Promote compliance by shifting the focus to preventing discrimination and sexual harassment before it happens.
• Improve the complaints system. Reorientate the dispute resolution process to ensure it is flexible and efficient, and to enhance access to justice.
• Increase protection. Ensure all people who require protection under the Act are included, and that coverage of the law extends to all contexts and settings where unfair discrimination occurs, subject to reasonable exceptions.