Haswell -V- Nsw Department Of School Education, Metropolitan East Region [1997] NSWEOT

Equal Opportunity Tribunal of New South Wales

CITATION: Haswell -V- Nsw Department Of School Education, Metropolitan East Region [1997] NSWEOT

COMPLAINANT: Elizabeth Haswell

RESPONDENT: NSW Department of School Education, Metropolitan East Region

NUMBER: 17 of 1994 & 81 of 1995

Mr Michael Biddulph ( Judicial Member ) TRIBUNAL: Ms L Farmer OAM Mr M Luger

GROUNDS OF COMPLAINT: Discrimination on the ground of sex in the area of employment

DATES OF HEARING: 08/21/1996; 08/22/1996; 08/28/1996; 09/25/1996; 09/26/1996; 09/27/1996; 11/08/1996; 11/13/1996; 11/14/1996; 11/21/1996; 11/22/1996; 12/12/1996 DATE OF JUDGMENT: 05/26/1997

Complainant: Tress Cocks & Maddox (Solicitors) Mr P Clay (Counsel) LEGAL REPRESENTATIVES: Respondent: Crown Solicitor's Office (Solicitors) Ms C Ronalds (Counsel)

JUDGMENT IN FAVOUR OF:

Details of complaints

On 28 February 1993 the Anti-Discrimination Board of NSW("the Board") received a complaint from Ms Elizabeth Haswell alleging discrimination on the ground of sex in the area of employment, against the NSW Department of School Education, Metropolitan East Region. Conciliation conferences were held in the matter, but were not resolved. The President therefore referred the complaint to this Tribunal in accordance with section 94(1) of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 ("the Act").

Attached to the President's letter concerning the complaint was a report of his inquires into such complaint, and we set them out shortly as follows: The Complainant alleged that she was treated unfairly by the principal of her school and that decisions were made by the principal which she disagreed with, but her opinions were ignored because she is a woman. She also received an unfavourable work report from the principal. This report was later amended by the principal but not to Ms Haswell's satisfaction.