From the Commissioner’s Desk….

So far this year, the Commission has initiated two major undertakings.The first is an important function which will be the biggest public event hosted by the Commission, and the fulfillment of a long-held view of mine to make a commitment to Indigenous people in Queensland.The inaugural Mabo Oration will be held on Friday 3 June at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre. The event will be hosted by the Anti-Discrimination Commission and supported by the Queensland Performing Arts Centre.

Aboriginal leader Noel Pearson will be the speaker at the event which pays tribute to Eddie Mabo, a Torres Strait Islander who changed the course of Australian history (see separate article). Mr Pearson will reflect on Eddie Mabo’s legacy of reconciliation based in law.

MC for the evening will be Chief Justice Paul de Jersey AC, Queensland’s leading legal figure. The function will also be attended by members of the Mabo family, and will feature both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island dancers. We expect to attract up to 800 people on the night.I’m honoured that the Commission will be presenting such a major function, one which I hope will become a regular feature of Queensland’s human rights calendar.

The other undertaking so far this year is the Commission’s consideration of an application for leave to intervene in the certification hearing of the Ergon Energy Agreement 2005. Some of the provisions related to a proposed Electrical Distribution Service Delivery (EDSD) allowance and payment may potentially constitute a breach of the principle of pay equity of female workers at Ergon Energy, because it may entrench systemic discrimination.This is the first time the Commission has exercised the right to intervene about pay equity in a certified agreement at the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission. As it is an important 'first' I’ll keep people informed on the progress.

Susan Booth

index of this newsletter