Sex Discrimination Commissioner
Encyclopedia
The Sex Discrimination Commissioner is an Australia
n federal government position established to oversee the operation of the Sex Discrimination Act 1984
. The position was created alongside the Act as one of the specialist commissioners of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
. The commissioner also has an educative role, frequently called upon to comment upon gender issues in the workforce.
The role was created with the Act in 1984, with the Hawke
government appointing Pamela O'Neil, a Labor MLA from the Northern Territory, as the first commissioner. She was replaced in 1988 by Quentin Bryce
, who became Australia's first female Governor-General in 2008. The fate of the position appeared unclear in the late 1990s, as Susan Halliday, the then-Commissioner, repeatedly came into conflict with the Howard
Liberal government, despite being a Liberal appointee. Halliday's angry resignation in 2001 led to speculation that the office may be disbanded; Pru Goward
, a close personal friend of Howard, was instead appointed as her replacement. Goward resigned in late 2006 in order to run for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
, and was replaced in mid-2007 by lawyer Elizabeth Broderick, a former partner with Blake Dawson
.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n federal government position established to oversee the operation of the Sex Discrimination Act 1984
Sex Discrimination Act 1984
The Sex Discrimination Act 1984 is an Act of the Parliament of Australia which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, marital status, pregnancy or potential pregnancy in a range of areas of public life...
. The position was created alongside the Act as one of the specialist commissioners of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
The Australian Human Rights Commission is a national human rights institution, a statutory body funded by, but operating independently of, the Australian Government. It has the responsibility for investigating alleged infringements under Australia’s anti-discrimination legislation...
. The commissioner also has an educative role, frequently called upon to comment upon gender issues in the workforce.
The role was created with the Act in 1984, with the Hawke
Bob Hawke
Robert James Lee "Bob" Hawke AC GCL was the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia from March 1983 to December 1991 and therefore longest serving Australian Labor Party Prime Minister....
government appointing Pamela O'Neil, a Labor MLA from the Northern Territory, as the first commissioner. She was replaced in 1988 by Quentin Bryce
Quentin Bryce
Quentin Bryce, AC, CVO is the 25th and current Governor-General of Australia and former Governor of Queensland....
, who became Australia's first female Governor-General in 2008. The fate of the position appeared unclear in the late 1990s, as Susan Halliday, the then-Commissioner, repeatedly came into conflict with the Howard
John Howard
John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....
Liberal government, despite being a Liberal appointee. Halliday's angry resignation in 2001 led to speculation that the office may be disbanded; Pru Goward
Pru Goward
Prudence Jane Goward MP , an Australian politician, is the Minister for Community Services and Women in the O'Farrell Liberal-National Coalition Government since 2011. Goward is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Goulburn for the Liberal Party of Australia since 2007...
, a close personal friend of Howard, was instead appointed as her replacement. Goward resigned in late 2006 in order to run for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
, and was replaced in mid-2007 by lawyer Elizabeth Broderick, a former partner with Blake Dawson
Blake Dawson
Blake Dawson is a commercial law firm that operates in the Asia-Pacific region. In Australia it is considered one of the "Big Six" law firms.Blake Dawson was previously known as Blake Dawson Waldron or BDW...
.
List of Sex Discrimination Commissioners
- Pamela O'Neil (1984-1988)
- Quentin BryceQuentin BryceQuentin Bryce, AC, CVO is the 25th and current Governor-General of Australia and former Governor of Queensland....
(1988-1993) - Sue Walpole (1993-1997)
- Susan Halliday (1998-2001)
- Pru GowardPru GowardPrudence Jane Goward MP , an Australian politician, is the Minister for Community Services and Women in the O'Farrell Liberal-National Coalition Government since 2011. Goward is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Goulburn for the Liberal Party of Australia since 2007...
(2001-2006) - Elizabeth Broderick (2007-present)
See also
- Sex discrimination
- Australian Human Rights Commission
- Sex Discrimination Act 1984Sex Discrimination Act 1984The Sex Discrimination Act 1984 is an Act of the Parliament of Australia which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, marital status, pregnancy or potential pregnancy in a range of areas of public life...