EOSA achieved significant progress across its core functions, with a strong focus on community engagement, education, and complaint handling.

Key highlights include:

Recognition and Outreach:

• The WE’RE EQUAL initiative expanded to 229 member organisations across metropolitan and regional South Australia, exceeding growth targets and earning the Premier’s Excellence Award for Leadership in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (Team category).
• Delivered presentations across diverse forums, including legal, multicultural, and regional sectors.

Legislative and Policy Impact:

• Supported the implementation of the Equal Opportunity (Conversion Practices Prohibition) Amendment Bill 2023, which came into effect on 1 April 2025, making conversion practices unlawful under South Australian law.
• Finalised the Review of Harassment in the South Australian Legal Profession.

Service Delivery and Complaints Handling:

• Received 569 enquiries, slightly below the projected volume of 600.
• Received 184 complaints, a 24% increase from the previous year, and finalised 178 complaints.
• Conciliation success rate reached 90%, well above the projected 60%.
• The average time to finalise accepted complaints was 5.4 months, slightly above the four-month target.

Partnerships and Legal Access:

• EOSA participated in the Equal Opportunity Representation Service Pilot with the Legal Services Commission, improving access to legal support for vulnerable complainants.

Community Engagement and Digital Access:

• The EOSA website recorded 89,691 visitor sessions, surpassing the annual target of 65,000.
• Approximately 59,833 sessions were classified as engaged, reflecting strong public interest in EOSA’s services and resources.

In alignment with the Attorney-General’s Department Strategic Plan 2024-26.

1. Safe and thriving communities

Community and industry education

The Commissioner delivered presentations across diverse forums, discharging her key legislative function to foster and encourage informed and unprejudiced attitudes with a view to eliminating discrimination. This year there was a focus on addressing workplace culture.

Key engagements included:

• Members of the Australian Hotels Association (SA), both at the Navigate and Engage HR and Employment Conference and at regional meetings held in Clare; the Barossa; Port Hughes and the Adelaide Hills.
• Law students from the Adelaide University participating in the Equal Opportunity Legal Assistance Service, and Juris Doctor students from Flinders University.
• A panel presentation at the Office of the Commissioner for Public Sector Engagement Executive Induction Program.
• All staff of the Alexandrina Council.
• Members of the Business and Professional Women.
• Facilitation of the Multi-Cultural Council of SA’s Addressing Racial discrimination for a More Inclusive Australia event, where the Federal Race Discrimination Commissioner was the keynote speaker.
• Participation in the Multicultural Council of SA’s Ageing Well in CALD Communities project.
• Sector-wide discussions following the release of the Review of Harassment in the South Australian Legal Profession, with presentations focused on the review’s findings and the role of EOSA in supporting implementation and cultural change:
  -  Law Society of South Australia: Annual Conference: Forum 2025
  -  JusticeNet CPD Intensive
  -  Legal Services Commission
  -  Crown Solicitors’ Office
  -  Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions
  -  Commissioner & staff of the Royal Commission into Domestic, Family, and Sexual Violence
  -  Wallman’s Lawyers
  -  Women Lawyers Association of SA
  -  Botten Levinson Lawyers
  -  Adelaide University law students
  -  Courts Administration Authority (CAA); Registrars, Deputy Registrars, and Court Managers; and CAA Operational Leadership Team.

WE’RE EQUAL

The Commissioner continued to engage with community and industry stakeholders through the WE’RE EQUAL initiative.

Key presentations included:

• Representatives from community football clubs as part of the SANFL Community Football Forum during AFL’s Gather Round; SANFL Chief Executive Officers.
• The leadership team and members of the Metropolitan Fire Service.

These engagements supported the promotion of inclusive practices and strengthened partnerships across sectors committed to advancing equal opportunity.

Industry training partnerships

• EOSA reviewed its outsourced training model and continued the Training Referral Program (TRP).
  The TRP enables individuals and organisations to access education on equal opportunity matters and includes a panel of approved training providers selected to deliver high-quality training to the community.
• Over the financial year, 55 businesses were referred, 39 sessions delivered – closely aligning with the annual target of 40 sessions.

2. Fairly administered laws

Complaint handling and conciliation

• During the 2024-25 financial year, EOSA received 184 complaints (24% increase), exceeding the projected 160. 178 complaints were finalised.
• All complaints were assessed to determine appropriate action. Of the finalised complaints, 78 were accepted for further assessment, compared to a projected 60.
• Summary of complaint outcomes:
• On average, complaints were finalised in 3.3 months.
• The average time to finalise accepted complaints was 5.4 months, slightly above the projected four months.
• Declined complaints were finalised within 1.6 months on average.
• Conciliation was attempted in 20 accepted complaints, resulting in 18 successful resolutions (90%) – well above the 60% target.

WE'RE EQUAL public engagement

• At 30 June 2025, the WE’RE EQUAL network comprised 226 member venues across seven sectors. This reflects a 40% increase in membership, exceeding the 25% growth target.
  In April 2025, the WE’RE EQUAL team was awarded the Premier’s Excellence Award in the Leadership in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion team category. This recognition highlights the programs growing impact and the strong support it continues to receive across sectors.

3. An efficient and effective justice system

Legal Education and Student engagement

• EOSA partnered with the Adelaide University on Equal Opportunity Legal Assistance Service (EOLAS) and the Law and Justice Internship Program.
  Equal Opportunity Legal Assistance Service:
• Between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025, EOLAS was staffed by 18 student legal advisory across three semesters. It assisted 73 new clients, 26 of whom had self-reported as being referred by EOSA.
• EOLAS provides free legal assistance to members of the public on equal opportunity matters and will continue to operate one to two days per week in 2025-26.  
  Law and Justice Internship Program:
• During the 2024-25 reporting year, EOSA hosted three interns through the program.
• These students undertook a range of research tasks that supported the office’s policy, legal and community engagement work.

Legal profession harassment review

• The review was completed and submitted to the Attorney-General in December 2024.
  The Commissioner is participating in several working groups to support the profession in implementing relevant recommendations.
• Of the 14 recommendations, one has been completed by the Attorney-General; 13 remain in progress or under consideration.

Equal Opportunity Representation Service Pilot

• In February 2025, the pilot commenced with the LSC and the EOLAS.
• The pilot aimed to strengthen collaboration between the LSC, the Commissioner for Equal Opportunity and the EOLAS to address gaps in legal assistance by establishing referral arrangements that enable the Commissioner and EOLAS to refer clients to LSC for representation.
• Over the six-month period, six referrals were made to Legal Services—three each from EOSA and EOLAS. This outcome aligned with expectations, which anticipated a relatively modest number of referrals for the duration of the pilot.
• Complaint types included sexual harassment, disability discrimination, and racial discrimination.
  Legal representation was provided in five matters at conciliation or compulsory conferences. In one case, limited assistance was offered to support the redrafting of the complaint.

Conversion Practices Prohibition

• In October 2024, the Parliament passed the Equal Opportunity (Conversion Practices Prohibition) Amendment Bill 2023, marking a significant step in protecting the rights and dignity of those subjected to conversion practices.
• From 1 April 2025, conversion practices became unlawful under the Equal Opportunity Act 1984 (SA), enabling victims to pursue civil action.
• Under the amended legislation, complaints can now be made to EOSA where a person provides, delivers, or arranges to provide or deliver a conversion practice to another individual.

4. Our people meet customer needs

Enquiry services

• EOSA continued to provide advice and information to the community through its telephone and email enquiry services.
• During the 2024-25 financial year, the office received 569 enquiries, slightly below the projected volume of 600.
• These services remain a vital channel for supporting individuals and organisations seeking guidance on equal opportunity matters.
• Information, advice, and tips to improve customer service practices for consumers whose diversity is protected by the Act was delivered directly to private and public sector businesses in the WE’RE EQUAL network through Resource Updates.

Policy collaboration

• EOSA continued to provide advice and support to a range of policy and service delivery initiatives throughout 2024-25.
• During the reporting period, the Commissioner and her office contributed to several key forums, including:
  -   The South Australian Gender Pay Gap Taskforce
  -   The Australian Council of Human Rights Authorities (ACHRA)
  -   ACHRA Positive Duty Working Group
  -   ACHRA Education and Training Network
  -   BRIDGES at Work Advisory Council
• These contributions supported the advancement of equity, inclusion and human rights across government and community sectors.

5.Progressive technology and supportive infrastructure

Website engagement

• The EOSA website continues to serve as a key public resource, offering accessible information, tools, and online forms for complaints and enquiries.
• Designed with accessibility, mobile responsiveness, and community engagement in mind, the site supports users across a wide range of devices and needs.
• During the 2024–25 financial year, the website recorded 89,691 visitor sessions—exceeding the 65,000 target.
• Of these, 59,833 were classified as engaged sessions, defined as lasting longer than 10 seconds, involving a conversation event, or including two or more page views.

Improving accessibility

• EOSA is committed to making it easier for members of the public to interact with the office.
  During 2024–25, EOSA continued reviewing its online guides and fact sheets to ensure they remain current, accessible, and user-friendly.

EOSA is a business unit of the Attorney-General’s Department. The following information appears in the 2024-25 Annual Report for the Attorney-General’s Department:

• Corporate performance summary
• Employment opportunity programs
• Office performance management and development systems
• Work health, safety and return to work programs
• Financial performance
• Consultants’ disclosure
• Contractor’s disclosure
• Risk and audit
• Fraud detected in the agency
• Strategies implemented to control and prevent fraud
• Public interest disclosure
• Number of public complaints reported
  Audited financial statements 2024-25

Nil – the Commissioner is a statutory appointment.

EOSA is not required to report under any other act or regulation.