ADCQ Annual Report 2007–08
Reports from the regions - Far North Queensland Region
Community Relations
This year the region has focused on increasing the profile of the Commission in the Far North, through guest speaking roles, media interviews, panel discussion and facilitation of a regional celebration of International Human Rights Day.
A highlight for the office was the hosting of the inaugural International Human Rights Day Living Books event in Cairns on 10 December. Radio and television interviews with the Regional Manager and each of the Living
Books provided an opportunity to promote the Commission and its role in the community. A particular feature was the live broadcast of the entire event by a radio station.
The Anti-Discrimination Act was promoted:
- at International Women's Day celebrations through involvement of the Regional Manager in a radio panel discussion
- at a national conference of more than 150 health workers where the Regional Manager was guest speaker
- through travel to various regional centres delivering brochures and other information to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander agencies, community based organisations and government departments.
Training and Education
The region has been able to maintain the previous year's increase in training sessions and number of people trained. 33 sessions were delivered reaching more than 350 participants throughout the private, community and public
sectors.
Cairns hosted two, in-house block sessions during the year, delivering training about the Act and the Contact Offi cer role. We were also able to provide the much sought after Getting in on the Act course for both legal and nonlegal
advocates working within the jurisdiction.
Training sessions were provided to several secondary schools and to the region's only university, where the Cairns offi ce has an ongoing commitment to provide regular training sessions.
Complaint Handling
The main ground for accepted complaints continues to be impairment at 24.7% (23 complaints). The only change to recent trends is in the number of accepted complaints on the basis of victimisation, which has increased to 11
from 4 last year.
Work related complaints have increased from 54.2% in the previous year to 68.1% of all complaints accepted in the 2007-08 fi nancial year.
Accepted complaints (by ground) 2007-08 Far North Queensland
FNQ complaints by ground
Ground |
Number |
% |
Impairment |
23 |
24.7 |
| Victimisation |
11 |
11.8 |
Sex |
10 |
10.8 |
Sexual harassment |
10 |
10.8 |
Race |
9 |
9.7 |
Family responsibilities |
7 |
7.5 |
Pregnancy |
7 |
7.5 |
Sexuality |
6 |
6.5 |
Age |
4 |
4.3 |
Parental status |
4 |
4.3 |
Unnecessary info requested |
2 |
2.2 |
Total |
93 |
100 |
Accepted complaints (by area) 2007-08 Far North Queensland
FNQ complaints by area
Area |
Number |
% |
Work |
47 |
68.1 |
| Goods and services |
10 |
14.5 |
Accommodation |
5 |
7.2 |
Pre-work |
4 |
5.8 |
State laws and programs |
2 |
2.9 |
Club memberships and affairs |
1 |
1.4 |
Total |
69 |
100 |
Main grounds for accepted complaints Far North Queensland
Main grounds FNQ
Ground |
2007-08 |
% |
2006-7 |
% |
| Impairment |
22 |
24.7 |
23 |
24.7 |
| Victimisation |
11 |
11.8 |
4 |
4.2 |
| Sexual harassment |
10 |
10.8 |
11 |
11.8 |
| Sex |
10 |
10.8 |
10 |
10.8 |
| Race |
9 |
9.7 |
10 |
10.8 |
Back to Table of Contents for 2007-2008 ADCQ Annual Report
