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Media release — Thursday 1 October 2009Rules the same for schooliesA proposed plan to lock schoolies out of apartment balconies is a clear cut case of age discrimination under Queensland's anti-discrimination legislation according to Susan Booth, Commissioner with the Anti-Discrimination Commission Queensland (ADCQ). Ms Booth said, "While we acknowledge that some young people can indulge in risky behaviour, a blanket ban based on age is illegal under the Act - just because renters are schoolies does not mean that they will behave badly." Managers and landlords can hold all tenants to the conditions of the lease, including that they maintain the property, respect the rights of other tenants and don't put the safety or security of the property at unnecessary risk. "If property owners are able to pick and choose tenants based on their own preconceptions about a particular group, they effectively brand the whole group because of the unacceptable behaviour of a minority." Landlords can chose not to rent their property at particular times of the year or to rent to a limited number of tenants at any time, but cannot refuse to rent to particular groups of tenants based on assumptions about how they might behave. "It is in everyone's interests that decisions about tenancies be based on facts, not prejudice and assumptions - this is what anti-discrimination law is all about." Ms Booth said. Interview opportunities: Commissioner Susan Booth is available by appointment.
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