Advocates are angry the Morrison Government has voted down a simple amendment that would have given trans, gender diverse and intersex people the same workplace protections other Australians enjoy. 

 

In the Senate yesterday, Greens' Senator Janet Rice moved an amendment to the Fair Work Act as part of the Respect@Work package that would have explicitly provided anti-discrimination protections on the grounds of gender identity and intersex status. 

 

 

Labor supported the Greens' amendment but it was voted down by the Government. 

 

Just.Equal Australia spokesperson, Dr Charlie Burton, said, 

 

"This was a simple, straightforward amendment that would have brought consistency to federal law and would have brought greater job security to trans, gender diverse and intersex Australians."

 

"Survey after survey shows trans, gender diverse and intersex people suffer higher rates of unemployment and lower incomes than other Australians." 

 

"Surveys also show that transgender Australians experience greater workplace discrimination than gay and lesbian Australians who are already protected, making the former's protection under the Fair Work Act even more urgent."

 

"It beggars belief that the Government would be so hard-hearted as to vote this amendment down." 

 

"Just.Equal Australia will continue to work with trans and intersex community partners to ensure this simple and long-overdue reform finally occurs." 

 

Earlier, Labor voted down a Green amendment that would have protected workers from discrimination on the ground of sex characteristics rather than intersex status. 

 

The former term covers a much broader group of Australians and is preferred by intersex community leaders. 

 

Dr Burton said, 

 

"It is important that law reform is driven by the community, and not handed down from above by party bosses. We will continue to lobby Labor to listen to what intersex advocates are calling for." 

 

For a copy of this statement on the web, click here