The Human Rights Tribunal has ruled a dental technician who refused to treat a patient with HIV did not unlawfully discriminate against him because of his condition.
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Aarron Gordon Jacobsen laid a complaint in June last year, after he went to Tom Zhou's clinic for a quote for dentures and was turned away.
Mr Jacobsen said when he told Mr Zhou he was HIV positive, the dental technician's attitude instantly changed.
He said Mr Zhou backed away from his chair, took off his gloves and referred him elsewhere.
But Mr Zhou told the tribunal he did not want to take on the case because he had only one year of post-qualification experience and felt he could put his patient at risk.
The tribunal has accepted that explanation.
