Thirrili wins five-year exemption to hire male Indigenous support workers

The Australian Human Rights Commission has granted Thirrili Ltd a five-year temporary exemption to advertise for and employ only men as Indigenous Community Support Workers, under section 44(1) of the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth). The decision was published in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette (Government Notices Gazette C2026G00585) on 2 September 2026, signed by Commission President Hugh de Kretser in August 2026.

Thirrili, based in the Australian Capital Territory, is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisation that supports Indigenous communities in the aftermath of suicide or unexpected fatal incidents. The exemption allows it to recruit male support workers to provide culturally safe and gender-appropriate therapeutic support to male clients within its Indigenous communities.

A workforce that limits culturally safe care

The Commission found that Thirrili’s workforce is currently predominantly female, at 66%, which limits its ability to provide culturally and gender-appropriate support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and boys experiencing grief, loss and trauma. In its application, supported by CEO Tanja Hirvonen and Chairperson Summer May Finlay, the organisation argued that:

• Indigenous men are more likely to engage and build trust with male support workers, particularly in culturally sensitive or deeply personal circumstances.
• Within Indigenous communities, gender roles and cultural protocols strongly influence the acceptability of health and wellbeing services.
• For issues considered “men’s business,” it is culturally appropriate, and in many cases essential, that services be provided by male workers.
• Many Indigenous men are reluctant to engage with female support workers due to shame, cultural obligations or past trauma.

The Commission concluded that the application was a reasonable, appropriate and proportionate response to the demand for male support workers, and that granting the exemption is consistent with the human rights considerations in section 10A(1) of the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth).

Three exemptions decided together

The decision was issued alongside two related applications dealt with jointly by the Commission. NATSIWA (the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Alliance) received a five-year exemption to advertise for and employ women in staff roles, while Mary’s House Services Ltd received a five-year exemption to employ only women as Domestic and Family Violence Specialist Caseworkers, Refuge and Casework Managers, and in specified non-casework roles.

During a two-week public consultation, the Commission received five submissions, all from organisations and all in favour of granting the exemptions. Anti-Discrimination NSW submitted in support of Thirrili’s application, noting the importance of delivering culturally safe activities and projects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men.

What the exemption means

The temporary exemption takes the covered conduct out of the prohibitions of the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth) for its five-year term, meaning the activities cannot be the subject of a successful complaint under the Act during that period. The Commission stressed that temporary exemptions should not be granted lightly, and that persuasive evidence is needed to justify them.

For readers, the decision recognises that Indigenous men are unlikely to seek support from non-Indigenous services or female counsellors to discuss “men’s business,” and that providing male counsellors will allow them to access Thirrili’s services on an equal footing with Indigenous women. The exemption is intended to improve mental health outcomes, strengthen families and build resilience across Indigenous communities.

Source: Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, Government Notices Gazette C2026G00585, 2 September 2026, Section I (official reference: C2026G00585).