Jordon Steele-John (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A new survey by the Australian HR Institute shows that disability discrimination in hiring practices is alive and well in 2026. Over 600 business leaders and senior HR decision-makers were surveyed. The findings revealed that 16 per cent would not hire someone who reported being neurodivergent. Nineteen per cent would not hire somebody with a disability. Twenty-eight per cent would not hire someone with a chronic illness. Thirty-two per cent admitted they would not hire someone with a history of mental illness.

When people disclose information about their health or their disability in a hiring process, it is usually because they have been asked to disclose. They are answering in good faith. These questions are often framed as support and as inclusion, but the reality is often something very different. For too many employers, these questions aren't about making sure that work is accessible; they're about deciding who not to hire. That gap between what is said and what is done is where discrimination lies, and this is why we hear so many disabled people say that they are increasingly choosing not to disclose their access needs.

We hear a lot about diversity and inclusion in workplace values, but, behind closed doors, the old stereotypes persist. It is why we need stronger accountability—a stronger Disability Discrimination Act—and that is what is being called for by the Disability Discrimination Commissioner. It is a call the Greens have long supported and echo today because, without legislative change, this discrimination will continue.