Book Launch Equality and Discrimination Law in Australia: An Introduction (February 2017)
Justice Debra Smith, Federal Court of Australia
CELRL Labour Law Seminar
Book Launch: Equality and Discrimination Law in Australia: An Introduction by Beth Gaze and Belinda Smith
Seminar presented by Dr Amy Ludlow, University of Cambridge.
Tuesday 28 February 2017: 5:45pm–6:30pm at Melbourne Law School

About the event
Equality and Discrimination Law in Australia: An Introduction explores four decades of anti-discrimination laws in Australia, during which the law has become complex and convoluted. Beth Gaze and Belinda Smith argue that effective laws protecting against discrimination and promoting equality are vital for a fair future. This book discusses the law in its social, historical and theoretical context, identifying areas of tension and discussing ways to resolve them.It explores broader avenues for pursuing equality beyond simply prohibiting discrimination. The book seeks to make the law accessible without oversimplification, so that Australian lawyers and non-lawyers can gain a deeper understanding of this complex and important field of law.
About the speaker
Justice Debra Mortimer was appointed to the Federal Court in July 2013. She previously practiced at the Victorian Bar, and was appointed Senior Counsel in 2003. As a barrister she appeared in many well-known immigration cases as well as discrimination cases such as Victoria v Turner, Cobaw v Christian Youth Camps, Clark v Vanstone, the Macedonian Teachers case and Catch the Fire Ministries v Islamic Council of Victoria. Most recently she heard and decided the Palm Island racial discrimination case, Wotton v State of Queensland (No 5) [2016] FCA 1457. Justice Mortimer is a Senior Fellow at Melbourne Law School and a member of the Advisory Board of the Centre for Comparative Constitutional Studies at Melbourne Law School.

The authors
Professor Beth Gaze, University of Melbourne
Beth Gaze has taught, researched and published extensively on anti-discrimination law, including employment discrimination, and on tribunals, and has conducted socio-legal research in both areas. She has acted as an expert adviser to parliament and is a member of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Discrimination and the Law.
Associate Professor Belinda Smith, University of Sydney
Belinda Smith teachers, researches and publishes primarily in the area of anti-discrimination law, with a focus on gender equality and workers with caring responsibilities.She has explored alternative regulatory tools and frameworks for promoting equality and is a member of the Editorial Boards of the Australian Journal of Labour Law and the Anti-Discrimination Law Review.
