Section 3 — Age Discrimination Act 2004: Objects

The objects of this Act are: (a) to eliminate, as far as possible, discrimination against persons on the ground of age in the areas of work, education, access to premises, the provision of goods, services and facilities, accommodation, the disposal of land, the administration of Commonwealth laws and programs and requests for information; and (b) to ensure, as far as practicable, that everyone has the same rights to equality before the law, regardless of age, as the rest of the community; and (c) to allow appropriate benefits and other assistance to be given to people of a certain age, particularly younger and older persons, in recognition of their particular circumstances; and (d) to promote recognition and acceptance within the community of the principle that people of all ages have the same fundamental rights; and (e) to respond to demographic change by: (i) removing barriers to older people participating in society, particularly in the workforce; and (ii) changing negative stereotypes about older people; bearing in mind the international commitment to eliminate age discrimination reflected in the Political Declaration adopted in Madrid, Spain on 12 April 2002 by the Second World Assembly on Ageing.