s ▁S tere ot ype ▁Emb od iment ▁Theory , ▁older ▁and ▁younger ▁people ▁might ▁also ▁eng age ▁in ▁self - st ere ot ypes , ▁taking ▁their ▁culture ' s ▁age ▁s tere ot ypes — to ▁which ▁they ▁have ▁been ▁exposed ▁over ▁the ▁life ▁course — and ▁direct ing ▁them ▁in ward ▁toward ▁themselves . ▁Then ▁this ▁behavior ▁rein for ces ▁the ▁present ▁s tere ot ypes ▁and ▁treatment ▁of ▁the ▁elder ly . ▁ ▁Many ▁overcome ▁these ▁s tere ot ypes ▁and ▁live ▁the ▁way ▁they ▁want , ▁but ▁it ▁can ▁be ▁difficult ▁to ▁avoid ▁deeply ▁ing rained ▁pre jud ice , ▁especially ▁if ▁one ▁has ▁been ▁exposed ▁to ▁age ist ▁views ▁in ▁child hood ▁or ▁ad oles c ence . ▁ ▁Australia ▁Australia ▁has ▁had ▁age ▁disc rim ination ▁laws ▁for ▁some ▁time . ▁Disc rim ination ▁on ▁the ▁basis ▁of ▁age ▁is ▁illegal ▁in ▁each ▁of ▁the ▁states ▁and ▁territ ories ▁of ▁Australia . ▁At ▁the ▁national ▁level , ▁Australia ▁is ▁party ▁to ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁international ▁treat ies ▁and ▁convent ions ▁that ▁imp ose ▁oblig ations ▁to ▁eliminate ▁age ▁disc rim ination . ▁ ▁The ▁Australian ▁Human ▁Rights ▁Commission ▁Act ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁established ▁the ▁Australian ▁Human ▁Rights ▁Commission ▁and ▁best ows ▁on ▁this ▁Commission ▁functions ▁in ▁relation ▁to ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁international ▁treat ies ▁and ▁convent ions ▁that ▁cover ▁age ▁disc rim ination . ▁During ▁ 1 9 9 8 - 1 9 9 9 , ▁ 1 5 % ▁of ▁compla ints ▁received