Media release - Equal Opportunity Commission Victoria concerned about decrease in complaints

04/10/2006

Equal Opportunity Commission Victoria concerned about decrease in complaints The Equal Opportunity Commission Victoria has recorded a decrease in the number of complaints lodged in 2005/06 according to its annual report tabled in Parliament today.

Commission Chairperson, Ms Fiona Smith, said she was very concerned that people may feel discouraged from making a complaint of discrimination, sexual harassment or racial or religious vilification.

“We know from our work in the community that discrimination and sexual harassment are still a problem.

“It is important to note that our figures do not show the actual incidence of discrimination, sexual harassment and racial and religious vilification in the community – merely the number of complaints lodged with us,” she said.

In 2005/06 there was a 22% decrease in the number of people who lodged complaints with the Commission compared with 2004/05.

Ms Smith said the decrease was consistent with the experience of other State anti-discrimination agencies and was most significant in the second half of 2005/06. This coincides with the debate and then passage of federal government industrial relations changes and the establishment of the Office of the Victorian Workplace Rights Advocate which provides employment related advice.

She said the Commission was concerned that workers’ uncertainty and fears about losing their rights under WorkChoices might be one factor that explains the decreased number of complaints.

“As most of the complaints lodged at the Commission are employment related (about 70%), we are concerned that workers may be too afraid to come to us or that they believe they no longer have any equal opportunity rights,” she said.

“We remind people that their equal opportunity rights remain the same and that our laws prohibit employers, regardless of the size of the company, from sacking workers or treating them unfairly because of their sex, age, pregnancy, disability, parental or carer status, just to name a few of the protected personal characteristics.”

Ms Smith said other factors that may have contributed to the decrease in complaints included:

greater awareness and understanding about anti-discrimination laws which may help people make a more informed decision about whether a complaint is warranted; and
a greater focus by workplaces on preventative measures and in-house informal complaint resolution

“Workplaces may be getting better at preventing discrimination, sexual harassment and racial and religious vilification and at handling disputes themselves as they occur,” she said.