Contents (1977 - 48)
Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 No 48
Status information

Long title

Part 1 Preliminary

1 Name of Act
2 Commencement
3 (Repealed)
4 Definitions
4A Act done because of unlawful discrimination and for other reasons
4B References to certain employers
5 Act binds Crown

Part 2 Racial discrimination

Division 1 General

6 (Repealed)
7 What constitutes discrimination on the ground of race

Division 2 Discrimination in work

8 Discrimination against applicants and employees
9 Discrimination against commission agents
10 Discrimination against contract workers
10A Partnerships
10B Discrimination by local government councillors
11 Industrial organisations
12 Qualifying bodies
13 Employment agencies
14 Exception—genuine occupational qualification
15 Exception—employment intended to provide training in skills to be exercised outside New South Wales
16 Exception—employment on ship or aircraft

Division 3 Discrimination in other areas

17 Education
18 (Repealed)
19 Provision of goods and services
20 Accommodation
20A Registered clubs

Division 3A Racial vilification

20B Definition of “public act”
20C Racial vilification unlawful
20D Offence of serious racial vilification

Division 4 Exceptions to Part 2

21 Special needs programs and activities
22 Sport

Part 2A Prohibition of sexual harassment

22A Meaning of “sexual harassment”
22B Harassment of employees, commission agents, contract workers, partners etc
22C Harassment by members of qualifying bodies
22D Harassment in employment agencies
22E Harassment at educational institutions
22F Provision of goods and services
22G Provision of accommodation
22H Land
22I Sport
22J State laws and programs

Part 3 Sex discrimination

Division 1 General

23 Definitions
24 What constitutes discrimination on the ground of sex

Division 2 Discrimination in work

25 Discrimination against applicants and employees
26 Discrimination against commission agents
27 Discrimination against contract workers
27A Partnerships
27B Discrimination by local government councillors
28 Industrial organisations
29 Qualifying bodies
30 Employment agencies
31 Exception—genuine occupational qualification

Division 3 Discrimination in other areas

31A Education
32 (Repealed)
33 Provision of goods and services
34 Accommodation
34A Registered clubs

Division 4 Exceptions to Part 3

35 Pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding
36 Superannuation
37 Insurance etc
38 Sport

Part 3A Discrimination on transgender grounds

Division 1 General

38A Interpretation
38B What constitutes discrimination on transgender grounds

Division 2 Discrimination in work

38C Discrimination against applicants and employees
38D Discrimination against commission agents
38E Discrimination against contract workers
38F Partnerships
38G Discrimination by local government councillors
38H Industrial organisations
38I Qualifying bodies
38J Employment agencies

Division 3 Discrimination in other areas

38K Education
38L (Repealed)
38M Provision of goods and services
38N Accommodation
38O Registered clubs

Division 4 Exceptions to Part 3A

38P Sport
38Q Superannuation

Division 5 Transgender vilification

38R Definition
38S Transgender vilification unlawful
38T Offence of serious transgender vilification

Part 4 Discrimination on the ground of marital status

Division 1 General

39 What constitutes discrimination on the ground of marital status

Division 2 Discrimination in work

40 Discrimination against applicants and employees
41 Discrimination against commission agents
42 Discrimination against contract workers
42A Partnerships
42B Discrimination by local government councillors
43 Industrial organisations
44 Qualifying bodies
45 Employment agencies
46 Exception—employment of married couple

Division 3 Discrimination in other areas

46A Education
47 Provision of goods and services
48 Accommodation
48A Registered clubs

Division 4 Exception to Part 4

49 Superannuation

Part 4A Discrimination on the ground of disability

Division 1 General

49A Disability includes past, future and presumed disability
49B What constitutes discrimination on the ground of disability
49C What constitutes unjustifiable hardship

Division 2 Discrimination in work

49D Discrimination against applicants and employees
49E Discrimination against commission agents
49F Discrimination against contract workers
49G Partnerships
49H Discrimination by local government councillors
49I Industrial organisations
49J Qualifying bodies
49K Employment agencies

Division 3 Discrimination in other areas

49L Education
49LA (Repealed)
49M Provision of goods and services
49N Accommodation
49O Registered clubs

Division 4 Exceptions to Part 4A

49P Public health
49PA Persons addicted to prohibited drugs
49Q Superannuation, insurance
49R Sport

Part 4B Discrimination on the ground of a person’s responsibilities as a carer

Division 1 General

49S Meaning of “responsibilities as a carer”
49T What constitutes discrimination on the ground of a person’s responsibilities as a carer
49U What constitutes unjustifiable hardship

Division 2 Discrimination in work

49V Discrimination against applicants and employees
49W Discrimination against commission agents
49X Discrimination against contract workers
49Y Partnerships
49Z Discrimination by local government councillors
49ZA Industrial organisations
49ZB Qualifying bodies
49ZC Employment agencies
49ZD, 49ZE (Repealed)

Part 4C Discrimination on the ground of homosexuality

Division 1 General

49ZF Interpretation
49ZG What constitutes discrimination on the ground of homosexuality

Division 2 Discrimination in work

49ZH Discrimination against applicants and employees
49ZI Discrimination against commission agents
49ZJ Discrimination against contract workers
49ZK Partnerships
49ZKA Discrimination by local government councillors
49ZL Industrial organisations
49ZM Qualifying bodies
49ZN Employment agencies

Division 3 Discrimination in other areas

49ZO Education
49ZP Provision of goods and services
49ZQ Accommodation
49ZR Registered clubs

Division 4 Homosexual vilification

49ZS Definition
49ZT Homosexual vilification unlawful
49ZTA Offence of serious homosexual vilification

Part 4E Compulsory retirement from employment on the ground of age

49ZU Application of Part
49ZV Compulsory retirement unlawful
49ZW Provision requiring retirement on basis of age of no effect
49ZX Exceptions to this Part

Part 4F HIV/AIDS vilification

49ZXA Definitions
49ZXB HIV/AIDS vilification unlawful
49ZXC Offence of serious HIV/AIDS vilification

Part 4G Age discrimination

Division 1 General

49ZYA What constitutes discrimination on the ground of age

Division 2 Discrimination in work

49ZYB Discrimination against applicants and employees
49ZYC Discrimination against commission agents
49ZYD Discrimination against contract workers
49ZYE Partnerships
49ZYF Industrial organisations
49ZYG Qualifying bodies
49ZYH Employment agencies
49ZYI Junior employees
49ZYJ Exception—genuine occupational qualification
49ZYK Exception—voluntary retirement or severance schemes

Division 3 Discrimination in other areas

49ZYL Education
49ZYM (Repealed)
49ZYN Provision of goods and services
49ZYO Accommodation
49ZYP Registered clubs

Division 4 Exceptions to Part 4G

49ZYQ Legal capacity and welfare of children
49ZYR Special needs programs and activities
49ZYS Superannuation
49ZYT Provision of insurance
49ZYU Credit applications
49ZYV Safety procedures
49ZYW Sport
49ZYX Certain activities or matters may be prescribed to be lawful
49ZYY Operation of Part 4E not affected

Part 5 Other unlawful acts

50 Victimisation
51 Advertisements
52 Aiding and abetting etc
53 Liability of principals and employers

Part 6 General exceptions to this Act

54 Acts done under statutory authority
55 Charities
56 Religious bodies
57 Voluntary bodies
58 (Repealed)
59 Establishments providing housing accommodation for aged persons

Parts 7, 7A

60–69O(Repealed)

Part 8 The Anti-Discrimination Board

70 Definition
71 Constitution of Board
72 Appointment of members
73 Term of office
74 Eligibility for appointment to Board
75 Vacation of office
76 Removal from office
77 Filling casual vacancy
78 Member not subject to Public Sector Management Act 1988
79 Remuneration of members other than the President
80 President
81 Acting President
82 Alternate members
83 (Repealed)
84 Preservation of rights of President who was previously public servant
85 Meetings of the Board
86 Officers and employees

Part 9 The functions of the President, the Tribunal and the Board

Division 1 Preliminary

87 Definitions

Division 2 Complaints—the functions of the President

Subdivision 1 Lodgment of complaints

87A Persons who may make a complaint
87B Complaints made on behalf of others
87C Complaints by representative bodies
88 Vilification complaints
88A Assistance by President in making complaints
88B Making of complaints in more than one jurisdiction
88C Withdrawal of consent for complaint

Subdivision 2 Making of complaints

89 Form and content of complaints
89A Making of complaint
89B Acceptance or declining of complaints by the President
89C (Repealed)

Subdivision 3 Investigation and conciliation of complaints

90 President to investigate complaints
90A Investigation of vilification complaints
90B Supplying information and documents
90C Progress reports
91 Prosecution for serious vilification
91A Resolution of complaint by conciliation
91B No right to representation
91C Amendment of complaint

Subdivision 4 Declining of complaints during investigation

92 President may decline complaint during investigation

Subdivision 5 Termination of complaints

92A Settlement or resolution of complaint
92B Withdrawal of complaint
92C Abandonment of complaint
93 Death of complainant or respondent does not terminate complaint

Subdivision 6 Referral of complaints to Tribunal

93A Referral of complaints to Tribunal at requirement of complainant
93B Referral of unresolved complaints to Tribunal after 18 months
93C Other referral of complaints to Tribunal
94 Severing complaints
94A Form of complaint to be referred to Tribunal

Subdivision 7 Miscellaneous

94B Calculation of time
94C Delegation—officers of President

Division 3 Complaints—the functions of the Administrative Decisions Tribunal

95 Referral of complaints to Tribunal
95A (Repealed)
96 Leave of Tribunal required for inquiry into certain matters
97 Parties to proceedings before Tribunal
98 Rights of appearance and representation
99 Officer assisting Tribunal
100 Single proceeding in relation to several complaints
101 Determinations with respect to representative complaints
101A, 101B (Repealed)
102 Tribunal may dismiss complaint
103 Tribunal may amend complaint
104 Proof of exceptions
105 Interim orders
106 Appeals against interim orders
107 Dismissal of proceedings
108 Order or other decision of Tribunal
109 Order affecting industrial instrument
110 Costs
110A (Repealed)
111 Compliance with order of Tribunal
111A Compensation to offenders in custody—payment to Victims Compensation Fund
112 Interest on damages
113 Enforcement of orders by the President
114 Enforcement of non-monetary orders
115 Appeals to Appeal Panel against decisions of Tribunal
116 Relationship between this Division and Administrative Decisions Tribunal Act 1997
117–118 (Repealed)

Division 4 The functions of the Board

119 General functions of the Board
120 Reference of certain matters to the Board by the Minister
120A Codes of practice
121 Review of legislation etc
121A Execution of functions of the Board
122 Annual report

Part 9A Equal Opportunity in Public Employment

Division 1 General

122A Definitions
122B Application of Part 9A—authorities
122C Objects
122D Exercise of functions of authorities under Part 9A

Division 2 The Director of Equal Opportunity in Public Employment

122E The Director
122F Appointment of Director
122G–122HD (Repealed)
122HE Acting Director
122HF (Repealed)
122HG Staff
122I Functions

Division 3 Equal employment opportunity management plans

122J Preparation and implementation of management plans
122JA (Repealed)
122K Inconsistencies
122L (Repealed)
122M References
122N Investigation
122O Representation
122P Powers of the Board on an investigation
122Q Incriminatory statements
122R Conclusion of investigation
122S Direction to amend management plan

Part 9B Inter-governmental arrangements

122T Definitions
122U Arrangements relating to human rights
122V Exercise of functions by State authorities pursuant to arrangement
122W Exercise of functions by State authorities pursuant to delegation etc
122X Exercise of certain functions by officers of the Board

Part 10 Miscellaneous

123 Effect of contravention of Act or regulations
124 Obstruction
124A Secrecy
125 Proceedings for offences
126 Granting of exemptions by Minister
126A Exemption for special needs programs and activities
127 Regulations
128 Savings and transitional provisions

 Schedule 1 Savings and transitional provisions

Historical notes