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Discrimination Act 1991
75Positive duty to eliminate discrimination, sexual
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75 Positive duty to eliminate discrimination, sexual
harassment and unlawful vilification
(1) This section applies to an organisation or business, and any individual
with organisational management responsibility for an organisation or
business, required under this Act not to engage in discrimination,
sexual harassment or unlawful vilification in particular
circumstances.
Examples—organisation
• educational authority
• sporting club
• church
Examples—individual with organisational management responsibility
• sole trader
• chancellor or vice-chancellor at a university
• owner of a small private business
(2) The organisation, business or individual must take reasonable and
proportionate steps to eliminate the discrimination, sexual harassment
and unlawful vilification.
(3) In deciding whether steps are reasonable and proportionate, all the
circumstances must be considered, including the following:
(a) the nature and size of the organisation or business;
(b) the resources of the organisation, business or individual;
(c) the business or operational priorities of the organisation,
business or individual;
(d) practicability and cost of the steps.
(4) However, this section does not apply to—
(a) an administrative unit, territory authority or territory
instrumentality until 12 months after the commencement day; or
(b) an individual with organisational management responsibility for
an entity mentioned in paragraph (a) until 12 months after the
commencement day; or
(c) any other person until 3 years after the commencement day.
(5) This subsection, subsection (4) and subsection (6), definition of
commencement day expire 3 years after the commencement day.
(6) In this section:
commencement day means the day the Discrimination Amendment
Act 2023, section 3 commences.
organisational management responsibility, in relation to an
organisation or business, means responsibility for controlling or
directing the organisation or business.
Positive duties Part 9