AGY-2223 | Office of Equal Opportunity in Public Employment

Full description

The Office of the Director of Equal Opportunity in Public Employment (ODEOPE) was established to administer the Anti-Discrimination (Amendment) Act, 1980. (1) Ms A Ziller was appointed as Director on 22 September 1980. (2)

The Office of the Director of Equal Opportunity in Public Employment is responsible for the provision of services supporting the attainment of fair employment outcomes for all public sector employees, and the enhancement of employment opportunities for members of equal employment opportunity (EEO) groups (women, Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders, members of racial, ethnic, and ethnic-religious minority groups, and people with a disability).

ODEOPE gave advice and assistance to State Government departments, declared authorities, state owned corporations and health services, and NSW universities on the development and implementation of equal employment opportunity programs, evaluated the effectiveness of EEO programs, provided advice to policy-making agencies on equity considerations regarding employment policies and practices, published reports and papers on employment issues and research findings, and facilitated training and development programs. (3)

From November 1995 ODEOPE was transferred from the Premier's Department to the Public Employment Office. (4)

For administrative purposes ODEOPE was part of the Premiers Department but the Director of ODEOPE reported directly to the Premier. (5)

At 2010 the Director of Equal Opportunity in Public Employment was considered to be part of the Department of Premier and Cabinet. (6)

On 1 November 2011 the position of the Director of Equal Employment Opportunity in Public Employment ceased when the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (Act No.48, 1977) was amended by the Public Sector Employment and Management (Ethics and Public Service Commissioner) Act 2011 which replaced the Director with the Public Service Commissioner. (7)

Endnotes
1. Anti-Discrimination (Amendment) Act 1980 (Act No 67, 1980).
2. Premiers Dept Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 1980, p.20.
3. NSW Government Directory 1995, NSW Government Information Service, p.358-9.
4. Public Sector Management Act 1988 —Order (1995-No. 685) in NSW Government Gazette No.143, 24 November 1995.
5. NSW Government Directory 1999, NSW Government Information Service, p.254.
6. Government Information (Public Access) Amendment Regulation 2010 (2010 No 252), p.14; published NSW Legislation Website, 18 June 2010.
7. Public Sector Employment and Management (Ethics and Public Service Commissioner) Act 2011 (Act No.48, 2011), Sch. 2 [1].