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Regional ReportNorth QueenslandThe highlight of this quarter was a forum held in Mackay. The Response to Racism Working Party organised the event to address recent racist incidents in the area. Speakers included the Commission's North Queensland's Regional Manager, Royalie Walters who explained the racial and religious vilification amendments to the Anti-Discrimination Act. Supported by Mackay City Council and the Local Area Multicultural Partnership, the meeting attracted more than 70 people . Mackay has also featured in Commission training. In April the Contact Officer, Introduction to the Act and Recruitment and Selection courses were run. All courses were fully booked. The Australian South Sea Islander community also participated in training at their Lagoon Hut. This training is being provided throughout regional Queensland in response to suggestions made in consultations with the community, organised by Multicultural Affairs Queensland. Staff celebrated NAIDOC Week in Townsville by participating in the march through the city to Strand Park where a Commission information stall was set up. Awards were received, followed by speeches and traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dancing. The Commission was represented when Townsville played host to the International Women's Conference Poverty, Violence and Women's Rights in July. Participants and speakers from throughout Australia and across the world converged on James Cook University for discussion on a range of issues. It was heartening to see so many committed women contributing to a successful conference.
Far North QueenslandTravels and trainingsFar North Queensland staff are continuing their `meet and greet' program, and have visited and trained in Mossman, Innisfail, Cooktown and surrounding areas. As part of the plan to visit as many places in the region as possible, staff have run free information sessions and workshops on anti-discrimination and workplace bullying. Bill Lowah, the Commission's Indigenous Liaison Officer, recently visited Far North Queensland to run training courses in the `Tracking Your Rights' package. The package, a social justice kit for Indigenous people, was developed by the Commission to address a range of issues for people in communities. It was launched in over 60 centres last year, with a promise that return visits would be made to take people through the package and how to get the best from it. So far, Bill has met with a variety of Indigenous organisations in the Cairns area, and has run two courses (each of two days) in Cairns, as well as a one day course conducted in Yarrabah. Peace WeekThe third Annual Peace Week community Festival was held in Cairns in July. The festival ran for ten days, and featured 40 community organisations, hundreds of volunteers and eighteen separate events promoting peace through photography, art, poetry, writing, forum discussions, music, dance and cultural exhibitions. The Commission hosted a morning tea at the City Library where the guest speaker, Acting Commissioner, Susan Booth delivered a thought-provoking speech "Paving the way for peace - the relationship between human rights, anti-discrimination law and cohesive communities". The visit by the Acting Commissioner also included a number of
meetings with solicitors and community workers.
Central QueenslandIn Central Queensland, as in other parts of the state, work issues are the largest source of complaints to the Commission. To address this, staff have targeted the employment sector for awareness and training sessions. Key groups were identified, and meetings took place between staff and employment agencies, unions, employer groups and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations, to discuss issues and training needs. Some of the benefits of this training were felt immediately. One employment agency, for example, has increased its knowledge of anti-discrimination legislation to the point where, instead of asking irrelevant questions on age and impairment on their forms, they can now identify possible discrimination, and protect their clients from a potentially costly complaint. Unions delegates and staff were also able to increase their knowledge about the Act and the protections it offers to workers. Issues of particular interest involved discrimination against people with work-acquired impairments, and discrimination against non-union members. The focus in sessions with Indigenous organisations was on the scope of the legislation, exemptions for equal opportunity measures, and the impact on selection processes. Training in the mining sector included awareness sessions for workers and more detailed sessions for managers and contact officers. More than 1000 people will have received information at the conclusion of this project. Central Queensland has a significant Australian South Sea Islander community, and for the first time, an awareness session was presented to an enthusiastic audience. Issues of discrimination in employment and rental accommodation were addressed. |
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