This original, internationally significant research aims to address a critical gap in Australian discrimination and equality law scholarship. While demographic ageing necessitates extending working lives, few have questioned the effectiveness of Australian age discrimination laws in supporting this ambition. This project draws on mixed methods and comparative UK experiences to offer new empirical and theoretical insights into Australian age discrimination law. Intended outcomes include a comprehensive empirical dataset and a normative model for legal reform in Australia, to inform public policy and debate and improve our ability to respond to demographic ageing, thereby offering economic, health and social benefits.

This research is funded by the Australian Research Council as part of the Discovery Early Career Researcher scheme: DE170100228, ‘Addressing Age Discrimination in Employment’.

A summary of research findings is available via this link. Graphic recording by Zahra Zainal.

Now available: Alysia Blackham Reforming Age Discrimination Law: Beyond Individual Enforcement (Oxford University Press, 2022)