ACL: Religious Discrimination Bill not extreme enough

ACL: Religious Discrimination Bill not extreme enough
Image: Australian Christian Lobby Managing Director Martyn Iles.

The Australian Christian Lobby has expressed concerns that the Morrison Government’s draft Religious Discrimination Bill does not go far enough in the license that it gives religious groups and people to discriminate against others.

“While on the surface the bill appears to deal with some significant issues, the devil is in the detail. Those details mean there is no robust protection for people such as Israel Folau or Archbishop of Hobart Julian Porteous,” ACL managing director Martyn Iles wrote to supporters this week.

“To suppress rugby players’ freedom of religious expression, Rugby Australia would merely have to say, as they did in Israel Folou’s case, that it was seeking to avoid ‘unjustifiable financial hardship’ for a sacking to be justified.”

“In fact, we are in a crazy situation where Section 8 of the bill permits Folau’s sacking. It allows medium and large corporations to discriminate against employees based on statements of belief if they claim there are significant financial implications, as Rugby Australia did.”

The Australian Christian Lobby is also concerned that the bill does not go far enough in overturning Tasmania’s landmark anti-discrimination legislation.

“Under Section 41, Julian Porteous-style cases may not be prevented. Whilst the relevant Tasmanian law prohibiting so-called offensive speech is over-ridden, someone can still pursue a discrimination case if they feel harassed or vilified by a statement of belief,” Iles said.

“There is no doubt that the consultation process, especially with faith groups, has some way to go.”

“The exposure draft of the bill serves as a platform for more constructive conversations with the Attorney-General and members of the government. We look forward to resolving these problems.”

The Government has only given until October 2 for people to lodge submissions on the bill.

LGBTQI advocates are pressing the Government to extend that date.

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3 responses to “ACL: Religious Discrimination Bill not extreme enough”

  1. …and the fight continues. Just when you think we’ve taken one step forward with marriage equality, we take two backwards with ‘religious discrimination’. Being a modern person is so tiring.. and what the government grudgingly gave with the right hand it quickly and happily takes away with the left hand.

  2. Are the ACL saying Catholics should or shouldn’t have been allowed to sack Folau’s cousin from a Catholic school for saying Catholicism is Satanic? Or is it ok for anyone so say all Christians are Satanic based on the beliefs of their personal family cult, while keeping employment with Christian institutions? This does not look well thought through, not only in terms of the likely clashes yet hypothetical, but in terms of existing disputes.