The Senate Legal and Constitutional Legislation Committee has handed down its report on the federal Government’s exposure draft bill to consolidate and reform the country’s five anti-discrimination Acts.

The Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has welcomed the Committee’s 12 recommendations, saying that it confirms the importance of reforming he laws to better serve the community.

The primary aim of the Bill is to streamline the complex, overlapping and sometimes inconsistent anti-discrimination laws that have evolved over many decades.”

“The Committee has made 12 sound recommendations to improve the proposed bill and to ensure that it meets the aim of providing anti-discrimination laws that are clearer and simpler for consumers, employers and the general public,” AHRC’s President Gillian Triggs said.

In particular, Professor Triggs said, “We welcome the recommended deletion of the proposed Section19(2)(b) relating to conduct that insults or offends”.

“If adopted, the Committee recommendations will ensure that an appropriate balance is struck between freedom of expression and the right to be free from discrimination” said Professor Triggs.

“The Australian Human Rights Commission has long supported legislation to give effect to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Australia is a party.

“This treaty explicitly protects the right to ‘freedom of expression’, and we should consider introducing legislation to protect this right in Australian law,” said Professor Triggs.

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