The Sex Discrimination Amendment (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Intersex Status) Bill 2013 has been passed by both Houses and is awaiting Royal Assent.

UPDATE: Commencement on 1 August 2013

The Bill amends the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 to extend the protection from discrimination to the new grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity, and intersex status.

It also extends the existing ground of ‘marital status’ to ‘marital or relationship status’ to provide protection from discrimination for same-sex de facto couples in addition to opposite-sex de facto couples.

Discrimination on these new grounds is unlawful in the same circumstances as for other grounds already covered by the Sex Discrimination Act.

The Bill makes it clear that introducing protections against discrimination on these grounds does not affect current Government policy on same-sex marriage.