Equal Opportunity Commission Victoria records increased enquiries

01/11/2001

Annual Report 2000/2001

01/11/2001

Equal Opportunity Commission Victoria was busier than ever in 2000/01 with 13, 833 enquiries and 3916 complaints recorded.

The Commission's annual report "The Way Forward" was tabled in Parliament today.

The annual report shows that while overall complaints decreased slightly in 2000/01, complaints relating to good and services increased by nearly 33% (from 514 to 683) and disability related complaints increased 14% (from 678 to 771).

As in previous years, most complaints (73.7%) concerned discrimination in employment. Equal Opportunity Commission chairperson, Ms Virginia Rogers, said a particular concern was the growing problem of victimisation of people who have made or intend to make a complaint to the Commission. Complaints about victimisation relating to employment rose from 319 complaints in 1999/00 to 340 complaints in 2000/01.

Ms Rogers said victimisation could be obvious behaviour such as giving someone demeaning jobs or cutting their hours after they had made a complaint or more subtle acts such as spreading rumours and discrediting people.

"Employers need to be aware of their responsibility to prevent victimisation and to take action against it when it occurs," she said.

Commission chief executive, Dr Diane Sisely, said the annual report confirmed that we still have a long way to go if we are to become a just community.

"Men still earn about a third more than women for the same work, and we still have to counter ill-informed and racist views about indigenous people, just to name two examples," she said.

"More recently we have witnessed an increase in racial abuse directed towards Australians from Muslim and Arabic backgrounds. This must stop.

"It is time, we as a society, developed a mature understanding of what it means to have a right to equality and how this should be reflected in our daily lives.

Highlights noted in the annual report include:

The Melbourne Walk for Reconciliation.
Passing of legislation implementing recommendations of the Commission's report, Same Sex Relationships and the Law.
Speedier resolution of complaints.
Education programs delivered to almost 10,600 employees of more than 1,300 employers.

Equal Opportunity Commission Victoria, Annual Report 2000/2001

Statistical Snapshot

The Commission received more enquiries than ever before - 13,833
Since 1998/99, Internet enquiries have practically tripled
Enquiries about disability increased 14% from 1999/00
Enquiries about unfair dismissal more than doubled from 1999/00
Enquiries about victimisation rose by more than 30% from 1999/00
Enquiries about sex discrimination dropped nearly 11% from 1999/00
Overall complaints decreased in 2000/01 by 12%
Complaints relating to good and services increased by nearly 33% on 1999/00
Disability complaints continued to be the largest ground for complaints, with a 14% increase in disability related complaints in 2000/01