More significantly they have provided a mechanism through such things as special measures, exemptions and affirmative action to deal with systemic discrimination and to provide specialist services for women. Despite these advances women still have a long way to go. Women are still substantially under represented at senior management level, on average still earn less than men and are disproportionately represented among casual and part-time workers. And in the year 2000, women are still using the Equal Opportunity Act to make complaints of discrimination. Most of these complaints are in the area of employment.
Women still experience significant levels of discrimination.
The passage of the South Australian Sex Discrimination Act 25 years ago was a visionary and landmark act by the people of South Australia, which led the way in Australia. We have come a long way since then, but there is still a long way to go. To illustrate how far we do have to go I would like to tell you about case of sexual harassment which was the subject of a Human Rights Commission hearing earlier this year. The complaint was about the behaviour of the owner of a restaurant who was sexually attracted to one of his female employees and made many unwelcome requests for sexual favours. The behaviour not only caused the complainant great distress but also seriously affected her health, resulting in severe and ongoing depression.