Version No. 031
Equal Opportunity Act 2010
No. 16 of 2010
Version incorporating amendments as at
20 September 2025
TABLE OF PROVISIONS
Section Page
Part 1—Preliminary
1Purposes
2Commencement
3Objectives
4Definitions
5Act binds the Crown
Part 2—What is discrimination?
6Attributes
7Meaning of discrimination
8Direct discrimination
9Indirect discrimination
10Motive is irrelevant to discrimination
11Discrimination by acting with others and by not acting
12Special measures
13When is discrimination lawful?
Part 3—Duty to eliminate discrimination, sexual harassment and victimisation
14Purpose of Part
15Duty to eliminate discrimination, sexual harassment or victimisation
Part 4—When is discrimination prohibited?
Division 1—Discrimination in employment
16Discrimination against job applicants
17Employer must accommodate responsibilities as parent or carer of person offered employment
18Discrimination against employees
19Employer must accommodate employee's responsibilities as parent or carer
20Employer must make reasonable adjustments for person offered employment or employee with a disability
21Discrimination against contract workers
22Principal must accommodate contract worker's responsibilities as parent or carer
22APrincipal must make reasonable adjustments for contract worker with a disability
23Exception—adjustments for person or employee with a disability not reasonable
24Exception—domestic or personal services
25Exception—care of children
26Exception—genuine occupational requirements
27Exception—political employment
28Exception—welfare services
28AException—youth wages
29Exception—early retirement schemes
Division 2—Discrimination in employment-related areas
30Discrimination in establishing firms
31Discrimination by firms
32Firm must accommodate responsibilities as parent or carer of person invited to become a partner or of a partner
33Firm must make reasonable adjustments for person invited to become a partner or partner with a disability
34Exception—adjustments for person or partner with a disability not reasonable
35Discrimination by industrial organisations
36Discrimination by qualifying bodies
37Exception—reasonable terms of qualification
Division 3—Discrimination in education
38Discrimination by educational authorities
39Exception—educational institutions for particular groups
40Educational authority must make reasonable adjustments for person with a disability
41Exception—not reasonable for educational authority to make adjustments
42Exception—standards of dress and behaviour
43Exception—age-based admission schemes and age quotas
Division 4—Discrimination in the provision of goods and services and disposal of land
44Discrimination in the provision of goods and services
45Service provider must make reasonable adjustments for person with a disability
46Exception—adjustments to provision of service not reasonable
47Exception—insurance
48Exception—credit providers
49Exception—supervision of children
50Discrimination in the disposal of land
51Exception—disposal by will or gift
Division 5—Discrimination in accommodation
52Discrimination in offering to provide accommodation
53Discrimination in providing accommodation
54Discrimination by refusing to allow assistance dogs
55Discrimination by refusing to allow alterations
56Discrimination by refusing to allow alterations—owners corporations
57Discrimination in access to public premises
58Exception—access to or use of public premises unreasonable
58AException—accommodation unsuitable for children
59Exception—shared accommodation
60Exception—welfare measures
61Exception—accommodation for students
63Application of this Division
Division 6—Discrimination by clubs and club members
64Discrimination against applicants for membership
65Discrimination against club members
66Exception—clubs for minority cultures
66AException—clubs for political purposes
67Exception—clubs and benefits for particular age groups
68Exception—single sex clubs
69Exception—separate access to benefits for men and women
Division 7—Discrimination in sport
70Definitions
71Discrimination in sport
72Exception—competitive sporting activities
Division 8—Discrimination in local government
73Discrimination by councillors
74Exception—political belief or activity
Part 5—General exceptions to and exemptions from the prohibition of discrimination
75Things…