Keneally evasive on reform
New NSW premier Kristina Keneally has restated her support for anti-discrimination exemptions that allow students at schools owned by religious organisations to be expelled on the grounds of sexuality and religious-owned businesses to fire and refuse to hire gay staff.
In response to questions from Sydney Star Observer, the new premier also reaffirmed her support for government-sponsorship of Mardi Gras.
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“The NSW Government’s Anti-Discrimination laws provide strong protections for those experiencing discrimination on grounds that include sex, religion, age, sexuality, disability and race,” the premier stated through a spokesperson.
“While strong, these laws also recognise that religious organisations should be allowed to operate in accordance with their religious beliefs. The Anti-Discrimination Act strikes a balance between these competing interests.”
On funding for Mardi Gras, the spokesperson said the festival and parade would continue to receive government support, but stopped short of guaranteeing continuation of the in-cash funding announced under former premier Nathan Rees.
The Premier’s Office also avoided taking a stance on the Legislative Assembly’s inquiry into adoption’s recommendation that same-sex couples be allowed to adopt in NSW.
There have been mixed reactions from GLBT rights advocates in response to Keneally taking the premiership.
Community Action Against Homophobia’s Emilia Lawonski said Keneally would need to move swiftly to assure pink voters.
“After her attempt to censor public sentiment against the Pope’s anti-gay stance during World Youth Day the newly appointed NSW remier has a long way to go before she can have the trust of the GLBTI community,” Lawonski said.
“CAAH calls on Premier Keneally to take the lead from Labor governments in Tasmania, Victoria and the ACT by supporting civil unions, relationship registration schemes and adoption rights in NSW, a state which is currently lagging far behind in progressive law reform for same-sex couples and sex and gender diverse people.”
The NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights lobby was glad the NSW Government would continue to support Mardi Gras, but urged Keneally to move swiftly to change adoption laws, and said it thought the current exemptions for religious groups were unfair.
Since entering Parliament, Keneally has voted in favour of the equalisation of age of consent in 2003, and the Miscellaneous Acts Amendment (Same-Sex Relationship) Bill of 2008.
During the debate on age of consent, Keneally told Parliament, “As a Catholic, I passionately believe in the gospel message of love, acceptance and tolerance.
“I want to encourage a society in New South Wales where the stigma of homosexual orientation no longer exists, particularly for young people, and where all persons are accepted and supported, not condemned and criminalised.”
I wouldn’t trust this Labour version of “Tony Abbott”.
Scheming hypocrite.
Guess we know where she stands now! Not happy…again our family are treated as second class :-(
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/nsw-rejects-same-sex-adoptions-20100107-lvpd.html
In principal I don’t believe that any institution that receives government funding should be allowed exemptions to discrimination laws. But teachers who get fired from catholic schools for being GLBT really don’t have my sympathies at all – they are adults after all and have qualifications that can get them a job in government schools where they can’t be fired for such reasons. YOung people must be our priority. They don’t have a choice as to which school they attend – why should their schooling be interupted by “expulsion due to sexuality” because some politicians are after votes at election time? being expelled from your school, being separated from friends and support systems at such a time can be devastating for a young person. But here we have a Premier who doesn’t really care about young people because she supports these laws. Just as well she will only be premier until March 2011. There is no way that a Labour government will be returned in 2011, no matter how pretty or female a MP they choose to be their “leader”. Bring on the election!!!!
What an interesting proposal by our Premier. By moving to allow discrimination by relgious organisations schools and businesses then it must follow that other changes must be afoot. Firstly there will be compensation to those already employed and who are sacked should this happen; then there are the changes to the adoption laws so when such families/organisations discriminate against young people then others who actually care can take over; and of course such organisations working outside of the State would not be entiltled to funding an any form, such funding would go to the compensation for the lives destroyed by our lady Premier. What an interesting thought. I wonder if NSW Labour really thought out the supporting of the change in leadership.
OH look i think we have all just had about enough of this carry-on about registers and civil unions etc etc.Portugal is just about to pass GAY MARRIAGE laws.We here in Australia are still bumbling on like some 3rd world country about GAY marriage.That GAY MARRIAGE is still not legal is a DISGRACE.KEVIN RUDD and the labour party and all the G+L politicians that have not pushed for full equality are a DISGRACE.And as for premier keneally…well I think its time for Clover to make a re-appearance and sort this sorry mess out as she always does.
Ben, I would like to point out the majority of Australians do not get a choice as both sides of parliament support the discrimination. The media always supports the two party system we have.
I think Ross is just fed up of the over representation Christians have in politics. Drive around past any Church on a Sunday it will have 0.00002 percent of the suburb attending. I think from that we can conclude that active Christians account for a tiny amount of the Christian population, but are over represented in Parliament.
Religious organisations should be allowed refuse employment to anyone whose lifestyle does not reflect that of the religious organisation. This should not just apply to homosexuals, it should apply to everyone, if i was to go for a job at a catholic institution i would completely understand if i was refused employment on the basis i am not catholic. Why would you want to be employed at a place that does not agree with your lifestyle anyway?
Ross, as for you saying that her catholic beliefs have no place in government, this statement can be applied to everyone nobody is 100% impartial. A gay person is immediately going to be bias towards allowing gay marriage. A atheist’s view is going to be bias in removing religion from school. Taking into consideration that the majority of Australians Identify as christian it is important to have Christians in government.
To us she seems evasive, but to the Christian Exremists she seems clear & confident. Why is that? Because she is handing them what they want on a silver platter & for us, she’s leaving us the evasive dangling carrot that if we’re good (& quite), then Labor will always throw us a few crumbs. Which in the current political climate since 2004 those crumbs are drying up, or come with conditions.
Enough is enough – we really need our own Gary Party (same structure as Family First). In the meantime, we can vote for the only party currently that has a gay leader & unwavering in demanding equality for us- the Greens.
Why not just cut government funding to these schools?
Most of the private school parents that I have talked to do not send their kids to private schools to segregate them from gay kids, and most don’t even know these schools are allowed to discriminate.
Ross, the majority of Australians would very likely support discrimination exemptions for religious schools.
That doesn’t make it right. But arguments based on a simple “majority of Australians” does not help minority communities.
(and what’s with ‘end of story’ in capitals…kind of juvenile…)
As a Catholic, what she believes is biased and has no place in government.
What she should be fighting for is what the People of NSW want.
I do not believe Religious organisations should have the right to fire/expel employees/students. That is discrimination to the letter.
Making it okay for them to discriminate, is a stone throw away from making it okay for them to commit any other illegal act, so long as it is in the ‘name of God’s work’. What crap!
“I killed a man, because God told me to.”
“Okay, fair enough, go about your lives people. Religious exemption.”
She should not have the right to let her own CATHOLIC views dictate her strategies in office. She serves US. WE pay her disgusting salary.
She should be doing what the majority of Australia wants END OF STORY
John Brumby in Victoria also decided to support this discrimination but the Victorian Labor Party also decided to adopt Gay Marriage at the same time. If NSW adopts Gay Marriage Kevin Rudd will fall.
I think having businesses or schools discriminate is not healthy for a society where, everyone, needs to get along with other people who might have different beliefs or happen to be gay etc.
“While strong, these laws also recognise that religious organisations should be allowed to operate in accordance with their religious beliefs. The Anti-Discrimination Act strikes a balance between these competing interests.”
I always thought there was a separation of church and state in this country; at least, that was what we were taught in university level politics. If that were truly the case, there would be no need to consider the church’s blatantly homophobic sympathies when passing state anit-discrimination acts.
If Keneally really does believe in the gospel message of love, acceptance and tolerance, then surely she would not hesitate to put all human beings on an even playing field as governed by the law of this land.
I hear an echo as her hollow words ring out.
On one hand she says, “I want to encourage a society in New South Wales where the stigma of homosexual orientation no longer exists, particularly for young people, and where all persons are accepted and supported, not condemned and criminalised.”
Yet she also now says,”has restated her support for anti-discrimination exemptions that allow students at schools owned by religious organisations to be expelled on the grounds of sexuality and religious-owned businesses to fire and refuse to hire gay staff.”
So which is it? Are you accepted and supported or in the eyes of any religious organisationwithin the State, condemned and crimnalised?
it’s a good sign Keneally had the guts to vote for equal age of consent – and even better that she spoke during the debate.
Let’s hope she puts those words into action – adoption and a state register are too long overdue!
Simply amazing.
Heterosexuals fighting for their rights to treat their gay children badly.
Morality indeed, heterosexuals.
Morality. Indeed.