Disability discrimination rise : Annual Report

30/10/2002

The Equal Opportunity Commission Victoria will table its 2001/02 Annual Report in State Parliament this week.

The Commission provides an impartial and confidential complaint resolution service for people who believe they have been discriminated against because of their sex, race, disability, age or religion, or other protected characteristics.

According to the Annual Report the number of complaints to the Commission has remained steady with a total of 3493 complaints lodged in 2001/02 compared with 3433 in 2000/01.

But Commission Chairperson, Ms Virginia Rogers cautioned against complacency.

"Levels of discrimination are still unacceptably high, particularly against people with a disability," she said.

The most common complaint to the Commission is of discrimination on the basis of disability.

In 2001/02 , the Commission received 794 complaints of disability discrimination, a marginal increase on the number for 2000/01 (771), but a significant increase on the 678 complaints of disability discrimination received two years ago. Most of the complaints were in the area of employment.

Ms Rogers said most of the complaints were not about wheelchair access, or discrimination because of a permanent disability such as blindness or deafness.

"Many of the complaints of disability discrimination in the area of employment are from employees who have been injured at work or who have been ill, and believe that their employer has discriminated against them as a result of a WorkCover claim, or by not making reasonable accommodation to allow them to return to work after an injury or illness," she said.

Acting Chief Executive Mr Matthew Carroll said our understanding of the issues faced by people with a disability was still poor, despite more than 20 years of legislation and education.

"We must remember that people with disabilities have rights just like the rest of us - to work, to health services, education, accommodation."