20 October 2026 – Rainbow Futures WA and Equality Australia have welcomed the announcement of a Bill in Western Australia that is expected to modernise the state’s anti-discrimination laws and deliver long-overdue protections against vilification. 

The Bill, which will be introduced to parliament on Wednesday, follows a Law Reform Commission review in 2022 which found the 42-year-old Equal Opportunity Act required substantial reform. 

Rainbow Futures CEO Misty Farquhar: 

“The Bill announced by Attorney General Buti represents a significant step forward for all Western Australians, including LGBTQIA+ people. 

“For decades, Western Australians have faced gaps and inconsistencies in the legal protections of their rights, while our anti-discrimination laws have fallen well behind other Australian jurisdictions. 

“LGBTIQA+ Western Australians have waited long enough for something most people take for granted: safety from vilification, protection from discrimination, and equal treatment under the law.” 

Equality Australia Legal Director Heather Corkhill: 

“No teacher should lose their job because they are gay, get divorced or fall pregnant outside marriage, and no student should fear being expelled or denied leadership opportunities because of who they are. 

“WA’s laws are more than 40 years out of date. This is an opportunity to bring protections into line with the rest of the country and close the gaps that leave thousands of people vulnerable to discrimination. Your rights should not depend on your postcode. 

“At a time when hate and vilification are on the rise, leaving communities without legal protection puts people at greater risk of targeted abuse, intimidation and harm.

“Everyone deserves to be treated fairly and equally under the law, and every community facing vilification and abuse should have the protection of the law.” 

MEDIA CONTACT 
Equality Australia Tara Ravens: 0408 898 154