This is the most significant reform of WA equal opportunity laws in 40 years: Premier Roger Cook
The Western Australian government has announced the introduction of the Equal Opportunity Bill, which seeks to modernise the Equal Opportunity Act 1984, prevent harm, and protect more people from discrimination, harassment, and vilification.
“This is the most significant reform of Western Australia's equal opportunity laws in forty years, and this legislation will bring us into line with other states to ensure more Western Australians are protected from discrimination and harassment,” said Roger Cook, WA premier, in a media statement.
The state government explained that the legislation will permit the making of complaints to the equal opportunity commissioner for vilification based on disability, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or sex.
The WA government added that the bill’s deletion of the disadvantage test from the sexual harassment definition is in line with the recommendation of “the Law Reform Commission of Western Australia and the Community Development and Justice Standing Committee in their report 'Enough is Enough' Sexual harassment against women in the FIFO mining industry, to put the focus on the wrongful behaviour and make it easier to prove complaints about sexual harassment.”
Under the legislation:
Dr Tony Buti, WA attorney general, acknowledged the necessity of removing “some of the exemptions that were historically in place so judges, MPs, and local councillors will now be subject to the same rules in terms of discrimination.”
According to the state government, the bill will prohibit discrimination against those who are:
According to the WA government, the bill aims to:
The state government’s media statement noted that the Law Reform Commission’s 2022 review of the relevant legislation and regulations informed the development of the Equal Opportunity Bill.
“The Law Society will engage with the State Government on behalf of the legal profession as the Bill progresses through Parliament,” stated an article in The Law Society of Western Australia Journal.
Here are some other recent news stories relating to discrimination.
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Upon considering an independent lawyer’s opinion and other evidence in proceedings alleging disability discrimination, the Federal Court of Australia issued a 21 August 2026 ruling finding that a settlement agreement would serve the best interests of a 12-year-old person under legal incapacity.
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