Editors --- "Amendments to Human Rights Legislation" [1999] AdminRw 15; (1999) 51 Admin Review 45

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AMENDMENTS TO HUMAN RIGHTS LEGISLATION

On 17 February 1999, the Human Rights Legislation Amendment (No. 2) Bill 1999 was reintroduced into the Parliament by the Attorney-General. The Bill had previously been introduced in April 1998, but had lapsed due to Parliament being prorogued in August 1998, for the October election.

As reported in Admin Review 50, under the (previous) legislation, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission ('HREOC') will be reorganised to become the Human Rights and Responsibilities Commission ('Commission').

The Commission's primary functions, which will be additional to its current functions, will be focussed on the education and dissemination of information relating to human rights, and will be directed to assisting the community and business to comply with Commonwealth anti-discrimination laws.

The structure of the Commission will consist of a President and three Deputy Presidents, replacing the existing structure of six subject-specific Commissioners.

Under the new structure, one Deputy President will be assigned general responsibility for sex discrimination and equal opportunity, one will have responsibility for human rights and disability discrimination, and one will deal with race discrimination and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social justice.

The Deputy Presidents will also be able to develop expertise in other areas as necessary without, as under the current structure, the need to appoint specialist Commissioners as each new area develops.

The Privacy Commissioner will be separated from the Commission, and a statutory Office of the Privacy Commissioner will be established.