Discrimination complaints resolved

Notes:

1. Measure reports on proportion of disability discrimination complaints successfully resolved by conciliation.
2. The definition of disability in the Disability Discrimination Act includes: physical, intellectual, psychiatric, sensory, neurological and learning disabilities, physical disfigurement and the presence in the body of disease-causing organisms, which a person may have now, have had in the past, may have in the future or are believed to have.
3. For years 2015–16 through 2018–19, proportions reported here differ from those included in the Australian Human Rights Commissions (AHRC) annual complaints statistics publications. For these years, the data reported by the AHRC also captured matters that were finalised on alternative grounds (such as 'withdrawn') after attempted, unsuccessful conciliation processes.
4. The decreases between baseline (2020–21) and 2022–23 are due to the ongoing influence of COVID-19 on the AHRC’s complaint handling function. In 2021–22 there was an exponential increase in complaint numbers leading to a considerable complaint backlog, resulting in significantly increased complaint handling timeframes and complaints being discontinued at a higher rate. In 2022–23, increased complaint handling timeframes continued due to the COVID-19 related complaint backlog and the finalisation of COVID-19 'legacy' complaints. The subject matter of the complaints was not always amenable to resolution, particularly those related to state and territory health orders (regarding mask wearing and vaccinations) and Commonwealth government international travel restrictions. Outcomes sought by complainants could not always be supported or achieved through the Commission’s conciliation processes.

Sources:

1. Australian Human Rights Commission Annual Report 2011–12.
2. Australian Human Rights Commission Annual Report 2012–13.
3. Australian Human Rights Commission Annual Report 2013–14.
4. Australian Human Rights Commission Annual Report 2014–15.
5. Australian Human Rights Commission 2015–16 Complaints statistics.
6. Australian Human Rights Commission 2016–17 Complaints statistics.
7. Australian Human Rights Commission 2017–18 Complaints statistics.
8. Australian Human Rights Commission 2018–19 Complaints statistics.
9. Australian Human Rights Commission 2019–20 Complaints statistics.
10. Australian Human Rights Commission 2020–21 Complaints statistics.
11. Australian Human Rights Commission 2021–22 Complaints statistics.
12. Australian Human Rights Commission 2022–23 Complaints statistics.

Notes:

• n.p. (not published) Results have been suppressed to avoid identifying individual people and due to volatility caused by small numbers.

1. Measure reports on proportion of disability discrimination complaints successfully resolved by conciliation.
2. The definition of disability in the Disability Discrimination Act includes: physical, intellectual, psychiatric, sensory, neurological and learning disabilities, physical disfigurement and the presence in the body of disease-causing organisms, which a person may have now, have had in the past, may have in the future or are believed to have.
3. The sum of the disaggregation 'All areas of public life' do not sum to the total number of complaints as a complaint or complainant may be included in more than one category.

Source: Australian Human Rights Commission, unpublished data.