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Employment equity

Equality of Employment Opportunity (EEO) for the Queensland public sector is about making sure the workplace is free from all forms of unlawful discrimination and harassment, and that people who are members of an EEO target group are able to compete for employment and promotion as effectively as people who are not. The EEO target groups are:

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
people who have migrated to Australia and whose first language is a language other than English, and the children of those people
people who have or have had a disability, and
women.

The Queensland public sector is committed to providing a workplace where there is equal employment opportunity that recognises and values the many benefits of a diverse workforce.

Chief Executive Officers’ responsibilities

The Public Service Act 2008 places responsibility for employment equity with the Chief executive officer of each agency. Under the Act, each agency must act, consistent with the merit principle, to:

enable members of the EEO target groups to compete for recruitment, selection, promotion and transfer and to pursue careers, as effectively as people who are not members of those groups, and
eliminate unlawful discrimination about employment matters by the agency or its employees against members of the EEO target groups.

Role of the Commission Chief Executive

The Public Service Act 2008 requires that each agency must, for each financial year, provide the Commission Chief Executive a report about the outcome of its EEO actions during the financial year.

The Commission Chief Executive reports on overall progress and promotes the achievement of employment equity goals across the sector.

Please visit our Publications page for more information on equity and diversity.

Last update: 20 May, 2009