chronology of developments in Australia and New Zealand

This chronology is indicative only.

1893 women in New Zealand are given the vote

1901 Commonwealth Constitution specifies that the Commonwealth would legislate for any race in Australia except Aborigines, with states retaining power over Aboriginal Affairs

1948 UN General Assembly adopts Universal Declaration of Human Rights

1948 Commonwealth Citizenship & Nationality Act extends "Australian Citizenship" to all Australians, inc Indigenous people

1949 Commonwealth Electoral Act extends franchise to Indigenous ex-servicemen

1962 Commonwealth Electoral Act amended to give franchise to all Indigenous people

1966 South Australian Prohibition of Discrimination Act 1966

1967 Commonwealth Referendum ends constitutional discrimination against Indigenous people, with coverage in census and shared Commonwealth-state responsibility

1972 Australia signs International Covenant on Civil & Political Rights

1973 International Labour Organisation Convention (ILO) No. 111 Discrimination (Employment and Occupation)

1973 Human Rights Bill introduced in Senate but lapses with 1974 Doble Dissolution

1975 Commonwealth Racial Discrimination Act 1975

1975 International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination

1977 NSW Anti-Discrimination Act 1977

1980 International Covenant on Civil & Political Rights (ICCPR)

1981 Commonwealth Human Rights Commission established by Human Rights Commission Act 1981

1984 Commonwealth Sex Discrimination Act 1984

1984 Victorian Equal Opportunity Act 1984

1984 Western Australian Equal Opportunity Act 1984

1984 SA Equal Opportunity Act 1984

1986 Australian Human Rights Bill passed by federal House of Representatives but abandoned after Senate opposition

1986 New Zealand Homosexual Law Reform Act 1986

1986 Commonwealth Affirmative Action (Equal Opportunity for Women) Act 1986

1986 Commonwealth Human Rights & Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1986

1987 Equal Employment Opportunity (Commonwealth Authorities) Act 1987

1988 Commonwealth Privacy Act 1988

1989 NSW Anti-Discrimination (Racial Vilification) Amendment Act 1989

1990 Bill of Rights Act 1990 in New Zealand

1991 Queensland Anti-Discrimination Act 1991

1991 ACT Discrimination Act 1991

1992 Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act 1992

1992 Northern Territory Anti-Discrimination Act 1992

1992 Tasmanian Disability Services Act 1992

1993 NSW Disability Services Act 1993

1993 New Zealand Human Rights Act 1993

1993 NSW Anti-Discrimination (Homosexual Vilification) Amendment Act 1993

1994 Commonwealth Human Rights (Sexual Conduct) Act 1994

1994 NT Anti-Discrimination Act 1994

1994 Tasmanian Sex Discrimination Act 1994

1995 Commonwealth Racial Hatred Act 1995 amends Racial Discrimination Act to cover racial vilification

1996 NSW Transgender (Anti-Discrimination & Other Acts Amendment) Act 1996

1997 Senate Legal & Constitutional Committee Inquiry into Sexuality Discrimination

1997 Croome v Tasmania decision by High Court

2000 SOCOG fined after ignoring adverse ruling by Human Rights & Equal Opportunity Commission in Maguire v SOCOG

2001 Human Rights Amendment Act 2001 in New Zealand extends coverage of Human Rights legislation

::