ࡱ> /1.U@ bjbj ;6666666J2222FJ ffffffff  $ R d 64 ff4 4 66ff  4 "6f6f 4   66 fZ Pژ42V  l  0  ml m JJ6666m6 TfhJ <Tfff JJD JJ Dr Sev Ozdowski Acting Disability Discrimination Commissioner Disability Rights unit HREOC GPO Box 5218 Sydney NSW 2001 22 September 2004 Dear Commissioner, POSSIBLE PUBLIC INQUIRY ON EMPLOYMENT AND DISABILITY ISSUES The Equal Opportunity Commission of Victoria (the Commission) both welcomes and would support a public inquiry into the issues affecting equal employment opportunity for people with a disability. The Commissions own data and experience similarly reflects an under-representation of employment related disability complaints as a proportion of complaints in the area of employment. Whilst a factor in this under-representation is the prevalence of workplace injury disability complaints; undoubtedly, this experience is also symptomatic of the general participation rates of people with a disability in employment. The Commission hears from many people with disabilities who state that they are excluded from employment because employers perceive that they will not "fit in" or that the adjustments required to assist them will be too costly or simply "too hard". In the Commissions view an inquiry should pay particular attention to identifying and addressing the factors that cause people with disabilities to be under represented in the workforce. The proposed inquiry is necessary given the economic and social importance of participation in employment and the large proportion of the community that have a disability or may have in the future. In the event an inquiry is undertaken by HREOC, the Commission believes that it would benefit from a close working relationship amongst Federal and State anti-discrimination agencies and similarly though extensive consultation with disability advocacy groups. The Commission looks forward to working collaboratively with HREOC in this much needed inquiry. Yours sincerely MATTHEW CARROL ACTING CHIEF EXECUTIVE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION OF VICTORIA B  * 2 3 7 = F N \ ` U M O ` a c g h ~ ߵߞԞԀuujjjuh4h7CJaJh4hCnCJaJh4h4CJaJh4hCCJaJhf[CJaJh4h1"CJaJh4h=+%5CJaJh4hX5CJaJh4h.u"CJaJh[CJaJh4h=+%CJaJh4hXCJaJh4hLQCJaJh4hUCJaJ)BY_m T U 9gdCgd1"gd[ 7 ~ 5Sf#$078ɾɾɫߣ߾߾h[CJaJh4h.u"CJaJhf[CJaJh4h=+%CJaJh4hCCJaJh4hCJaJh4h1"CJaJh4hCnCJaJh4h4CJaJ9:JKL[rgd1"9 0PP&P 1F:pr. A!"# $% @@@ NormalCJ_HaJmH sH tH DAD Default Paragraph FontViV  Table Normal :V 44 la (k(No List BY_mTU  9:JKL[r0000000000000000000000000000000000  ;00 ~G;00;00;00;00  9  FHFBFLCFHFLHF BFAccmmfkss:*urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttagsStreet;*urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttagsaddress8*urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttagsdate9*urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttagsplace8*urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttagsCity9*urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttagsState 2004229DayMonthYear mx3*237=EE"UMOcgh~  5Sf#78KKebarber1".u"=+%f[Q2kCnrCLQU74X[T*@<p@UnknownG: Times New Roman5Symbol3& : Arial"qhMkfffc"y "y ! x24d3QH)?Q2kDr Sev OzdowskiebarberebarberOh+'0  4 @ L Xdlt|Dr Sev Ozdowskir SebarberbarbarNormalebarber5arMicrosoft Word 10.0@ @4@&B@r4"y՜.+,0  hp  Department of Justice { Dr Sev Ozdowski Title  !"#$%'()*+,-0Root Entry F042Data 1TableWordDocument;SummaryInformation(DocumentSummaryInformation8&CompObjj  FMicrosoft Word Document MSWordDocWord.Document.89q