Summary

Introduced with the Religious Discrimination Bill 2021 and Human Rights Legislation Amendment Bill 2021, the bill amends the: Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 to: extend the Australian Human Rights Commission’s complaints-handling functions to complaints of unlawful religious discrimination under the Religious Discrimination Act 2021, when enacted; and establish the Religious Discrimination Commissioner as a member of the commission; Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 and Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security Act 1986 to allow the Inspector-General to inquire into acts or practices of intelligence agencies that may be inconsistent with or contrary to the Religious Discrimination Act 2021, referred by the Australian Human Rights Commission; Civil Aviation Act 1988 to provide that civil aviation regulations may be inconsistent with the Religious Discrimination Act 2021 if necessary for the safety of air navigation; Fair Work Act 2009 (FWA) to recognise the Religious Discrimination Act 2021 as an anti-discrimination law for the purposes of the FWA’s general protection provisions; Sea Installations Act 1987 (SIA) to recognise the Religious Discrimination Act 2021 as an anti-discrimination law for the purposes of the SIA; and Religious Discrimination Act 2021 to make amendments contingent on the commencement of the Equal Opportunity (Religious Exceptions) Amendment Act 2021 (Vic).