Important Commonwealth and NSW laws apply to help protect people from discrimination in NSW. While they generally overlap and prohibit the same type of discrimination, the laws apply in slightly different ways and both must be complied with. Councils and council officials need to check both Commonwealth and NSW anti-discrimination laws to work out their obligations.
The Australian Human Rights Commission manages Commonwealth anti-discrimination laws as well as complaints about, and compliance with, these laws. Further information about these laws and the work of the Commission is available at http://www.humanrights.gov.au/.
The NSW Anti-Discrimination Board manages NSW anti-discrimination laws and relevant complaints under the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW). Below are some resources developed by the Board to help councils and council officials protect people from discrimination.
- Fact sheet for local government councillors – August 2011
- Anti-Discrimination Guidelines for Local Councils – August 2011
Further information is available from the NSW Anti-Discrimination Board at http://www.antidiscrimination.nsw.gov.au/.