Australian Government foreshadows “religious freedom” bills today
Image: Equality Tasmania spokesperson Rodney Croome. Image: file photo.
Advocates have called on the federal Opposition and cross benchers to oppose the Morrison Government’s efforts to enshrine so-called religious freedoms to discriminate after the government announced plans to amend Australia’s laws around marriage, charities and discrimination.
The government published its intention to move forward with a “Religious Discrimination” bill earlier today which would make it “unlawful to discriminate against people on the grounds of their religious belief or activity (including lack of religious belief) and establish the statutory office of the Freedom of Religion Commissioner at the Australian Human Rights Commission.”
The bill would also, “amend existing Commonwealth legislation relating to freedom of religion, including amendments to marriage law, charities law and objects clauses in existing anti-discrimination legislation.
Just.equal spokesperson Rodney Croome told the Star Observer he feared that rather than expanding anti-discrimination protections, the Government’s proposed amendments would provide more exemptions to discriminate against “LGBTI people and anyone else who falls foul of traditional religious precepts.”
“We call on Labor, the Greens and the Senate cross-bench to block any new provision that weakens existing discrimination protections,” Croome said.
“In particular, we want a commitment from Labor leader, Anthony Albanese, that Labor will not support any new law that diminishes existing discrimination protections.”
Croome said anti-discrimination laws had made Australia an immensely more inclusive and equitable society, and that Just.Equal strongly opposed any attempt to weaken those laws under the cover of ‘religious freedom.’
“Now is the time for Australia to have a national discussion about equal rights and freedoms for everyone, not special rights and freedoms for some,” Croome said.
The Government has also proposed the appointment of a religious freedom commissioner at the Australian Human Rights Commission.
There are currently Aboriginal and Torres Straights Islander, Disability, Race, Sex, Age, Children and Privacy commissioners at the Australian Human Rights Commission but no specific commissioner covering LGBTI issues – though they have on occasion been dealt with under the Sex discrimination portfolio.
Croome said that if there was a need for a new Human Rights commissioner it was an LGBTI rights commissioner.
“Many Australians will ask why this Government wants to appoint a commissioner to protect rights that its own religious freedom review said are not threatened, while potentially eroding the rights of vulnerable minorities like LGBTI people,” Croome said.
“This is out of whack with the belief of everyday Australians in equal rights for all. Most Australians would agree that there should be no discrimination against people because of their religious beliefs. The problem arises when legislation allows discrimination and hate speech in the name of religion.”
“Where was the Government’s concern for discrimination in 2017 when respected teacher, Craig Campbell, was sacked by a Christian school for being gay?” Croome said, referring to a teacher at a Perth Baptist school who was sacked after he posted a picture of himself imitating a Belinda Carlisle album cover to his personal Facebook page.
This was deemed to undermine the faith values of the school.
“Until Australian law prohibits discrimination against everyone equally, the the national promise of a fair go for all will not be fulfilled,” Croome said.
Just.Equal have launched a petition campaign in response to the government’s plans which you can find at https://www.equal.org.au/religious_freedom_or_a_new_second_class_citizen
We live in interesting times. I maintain that Israel Folau’s case is not a clear-cut case of religious discrimination, it’s far from clear that this proposed bill would have had much impact on the Folau case (although ultimately we don’t know the precise details of the bill and it would be up to courts in any case).
The comparison I see is (as so often the case) with an excellent South Park episode. The teacher Mr Garrison wants to exploit anti-discrimination measures protecting gay people for personal financial gain so he gets himself sacked for having sex with his boyfriend in the classroom.
There are strong anti-discrimination laws protecting gay folks but obviously dudes can’t just start sucking dick in public and expect legal protection. What Folau did, broadcasting a paraphrased “quote” from the bible without context or explanation to his Instagram followers who are inevitably rugby fans (including children) rather than Pentecostal Christians is pretty much the equivalent, I reckon.
People should be protected from discrimination for their normal practicing of their religious belief, or lack thereof. But keep it behind closed doors and don’t shove it down our throats.