No debate on anti-discrimination amendment

The major parties in the NSW Legislative Council voted together today to block debate on a Greens bill which would close loopholes in the Anti-Discrimination Act allowing private schools and small business to discriminate on the basis of sexuality, gender, marital status, disability and age.

Labor MLCs argued the government was too busy to debate the bill, Greens MLC Lee Rhiannon said.

As a result the bill will not be debated before the election.

The reality is that the government has shown no interest in cleaning up the Anti-Discrimination Act since it was first introduced almost 30 years ago, Rhiannon said.

The Greens’ bill provided Labor with the opportunity to deliver law reform on an issue that is clearly an important one for the gay and lesbian community, she said.

She said the Greens would take the issue to the next election.