On 21 May 2013, the Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus introduced changes to the Sex Discrimination Act to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and intersex status. The changes also extend the existing ground of ‘marital status’ to ‘marital or relationship status’ to provide protection from discrimination for same-sex de facto couples. The proposed changes will provide greater consistency in coverage for protection against sexual orientation, gender identity and intersex status discrimination, and bridge gaps in existing Commonwealth legislation. The changes are also expected to lead to cultural change in Australia by sending a message regarding equality. A Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) was previously prepared as part of the proposal to consolidate anti-discrimination laws into a single Act. Since the newly introduced Sex Discrimination Amendment (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Intersex Status) Bill 2013 only deals with a particular aspect of the previous RIS, an amended RIS was prepared for tabling in Parliament that contained only content relevant for this Bill. The RIS was assessed as adequate by the Office of Best Practice Regulation.
