QCOSS welcomes many of the changes introduced by the Respect at Work and Other Matters Amendment Bill 2024 (Qld) which will advance Queensland’s equality laws on numerous fronts.

However, our submission identifies a number of opportunities for the Bill to implement additional recommendations from the Queensland Human Rights Commission which were outlined in their Building Belonging Report. We also call for a comprehensive modernisation of Queensland’s equality laws as soon as possible, in line with the Building Belonging Report.

The Bill, alongside future legislative amendments, should be supported by strategic investment to support awareness raising and to ensure that people can effectively understand and access their rights.