Tuesday, 31 March 2026

 Georgie PURCELL (Northern Victoria) (17:56): (2443) My adjournment matter is for the Attorney-General, and the action that I seek is for the government to urgently amend the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 to include ‘subject to family and domestic violence’ as a protected attribute. In December 2023 the federal Labor government introduced landmark reforms to the Fair Work Act 2009 to safeguard workers from family and domestic violence discrimination. However, these protections do not currently extend to Victorian workers, because the EOA does not offer the same protections. The Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission have identified this loophole and publicly called for change too. Potential discrimination can limit a person’s ability to leave a violent relationship, and its effects on their employment can significantly increase their likelihood of experiencing homelessness. The ACT, the Northern Territory, Queensland and South Australia all recognise this in their discrimination laws, yet here in Victoria you can legally be sacked by an employer for disclosing experiences of domestic and family violence.

Community legal centres have reported that family and domestic violence discrimination is actually rampant in Victorian workplaces, particularly for already marginalised workers. One story shared with my office is that of K, whose name has been changed for safety reasons. K worked at a company where her previous partner was also employed. K was a survivor of serious and persistent domestic violence by her previous partner. K depended on her employment as her primary source of income and an economic lifeline for herself and her children, but when K disclosed to her employer her experience of domestic violence with her previous partner and requested that adjustments be made in the workplace, K was told by her manager that it would just be best if she found somewhere else to work. K eventually had her employment terminated because of her disclosure of family violence and requests for safety measures to be put in place. K was unable to enforce protections against family violence discrimination introduced by the federal Labor government because Victoria’s discrimination laws remain silent on family and domestic violence as a protected attribute.

We know that the government will already be amending the Equal Opportunity Act to enshrine the right to work from home. The inclusion of discrimination protections for those subjected to domestic and family violence is a straightforward change that will significantly enhance legal protections for survivors across all areas of life. The government is already committed to opening up the piece of legislation to make this vital change happen, and I urge them to make this one too, alongside enshrining the right to work from home.