EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
STATUTORY RULE 1986 NO. 282
ISSUED BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE PRIME MINISTER
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION (EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY FOR WOMEN) ACT 1986
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION (EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY FOR WOMEN) REGULATIONS
Section 34 of the Affirmative Action (Equal Employment Opportunity for Women) Act 1986 (“the Act”) provides that the Governor-General may make Regulations, not inconsistent with the Act, prescribing matters required or permitted by the Act or necessary or convenient for the carrying out or giving effect to the Act.
Paragraph 7(1)(b) of the Act provides as follows:
“7. (1) For the purposes of sub-section 6(1), the operative day for a relevant employer is -
(a) in the case of a higher education institution - 1 August 1986 or such later day as is prescribed;”
The object of the Regulations is to provide that the prescribed date for higher education institutions is 1 October 1986.
The Act requires certain private sector employers and higher education institutions to promote equal employment opportunity for women, through the development and implementation of affirmative action programs. The provisions of the Act are phased in, through a series of operative days. The operative days for private sector employers covered by the Act are 1 February 1987, 1988 and 1989 (paragraph 7(1)(b)).
The consequence of the Regulations is that all universities and colleges of advanced education will be required to commence the development and implementation of an affirmative action program for women on 1 October 1986. Their first annual reports will be required to be lodged with the Director of Affirmative Action on 1 October 1987.