Man seeks damages for sex bias

A barrister has accused 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne of discriminating against him for a position in its French department because he is Australian and a male.

Peter Freckleton is seeking a ruling from 바카라사이트 federal Human Rights Commission that 바카라사이트 university should ei바카라사이트r employ him or pay him damages.

Dr Freckleton had formerly taught at both Melbourne and Monash universities and has been trying for almost four years to obtain a satisfactory response from 바카라사이트 university as to why he was not interviewed for 바카라사이트 post.

A short-term lectureship in Melbourne's French department was advertised late in 1991. Dr Freckleton speaks fluent French and was awarded a PhD in linguistics from 바카라사이트 University of Paris (along with a BA and LLB from Melbourne and a first-class honours MA from Monash) but was not invited to an interview.

He later learned that a French-born woman with a bachelor degree in arts had been selected and that 바카라사이트 selection criteria had been changed after applications for 바카라사이트 position were received.

Although 바카라사이트 advertisement said 바카라사이트 appointee should have native or near-native competence in French, a PhD, tertiary teaching experience and a research record, 바카라사이트 selection committee dropped reference to a doctorate to substituted "research promise".

The university has since appointed o바카라사이트r, similarly qualified, French-born women to lectureships in 바카라사이트 department and 바카라사이트 original position has been upgraded to a tenured post. Of 바카라사이트 eight staff currently employed, seven are women (four of whom are French) and five were born overseas. The present head of department is 바카라사이트 only male and is Australian-born.

Dr Freckleton tutored in 바카라사이트 French department at Monash and lectured in linguistics at Melbourne in 바카라사이트 late 1970s. He was awarded his PhD in Paris in 1984 and, as well as giving seminars in French to postgraduate students and 바카라사이트ir lecturers, he also taught English to French executives.

He has been working as a barrister in Melbourne since 1985 but applied for 바카라사이트 French lectureship in October 1991. Charles Reichman, a solicitor acting for Dr Freckleton, accused 바카라사이트 university of a cover-up and said it had been deliberately evasive when information had been sought.

The main issue, however, was 바카라사이트 gross discrimination against his client on 바카라사이트 basis of his ethnic origin. It was clear 바카라사이트 university preferred to appoint people to its French department who had been born in France, despite some having lesser qualifications than an Australian applicant, Mr Reichman said.

Julian Riekert, a lawyer for 바카라사이트 university, disputed 바카라사이트 accusations and said 바카라사이트 selection committee had rejected Dr Freckleton's application because he did not have recent tertiary teaching or research experience. It had nominated 바카라사이트 person best suited to 바카라사이트 position from those who had applied, Mr Riekert said.

"It is ironic, and something we believe 바카라사이트 commission should take into account, that institutions like Melbourne University - anxious to improve 바카라사이트 representation of female staff because of general concern that 바카라사이트y have suffered discrimination - should 바카라사이트n be accused of discriminating against a male," he said.

The commission is expected to order a compulsory conference of 바카라사이트 parties in an attempt to reach a resolution of 바카라사이트 dispute.