Disability Discrimination Act 1992

The following functions are conferred on the Commission:

to exercise the powers conferred on it by section 55;

to report to the Minister on matters relating to the development of disability standards;

to monitor the operation of such standards and report to the Minister the results of such monitoring;

to receive action plans under section 64;

to promote an understanding and acceptance of, and compliance with, this Act;

to undertake research and educational programs, and other programs, on behalf of the Commonwealth for the purpose of promoting the objects of this Act;

to examine enactments, and (when requested to do so by the Minister) proposed enactments, for the purpose of ascertaining whether the enactments or proposed enactments are, or would be, inconsistent with or contrary to the objects of this Act, and to report to the Minister the results of any such examination;

on its own initiative or when requested by the Minister, to report to the Minister as to the laws that should be made by the Parliament, or action that should be taken by the Commonwealth, on matters relating to discrimination on the ground of disability;

to prepare, and to publish in such manner as the Commission considers appropriate, guidelines for the avoidance of discrimination on the ground of disability;

where the Commission thinks it appropriate to do so, with the leave of the court hearing the proceedings and subject to any conditions imposed by the court, to intervene in proceedings that involve issues of discrimination on the ground of disability;

to do anything incidental or conducive to the performance of any of the preceding functions.

For the provisions about inquiries into complaints of discrimination and conciliation of those complaints: see Part IIB of the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986.

The Commission is not to regard an enactment or proposed enactment as being inconsistent with or contrary to the objects of this Act for the purposes of paragraph (1)(i) because of a provision of the enactment or proposed enactment that is included for the purpose referred to in subsection 45(1) (special measures).