NSW Greens to move anti-discrimination bill
The NSW Greens have announced they will seek to reform the NSW Anti-Discrimination Act in the current Parliament.
Greens MLC Cate Faehrmann (pictured) told the Legislative Council last Friday that, as the Liberals and Labor pledged before the state election not to tighten exemptions for religious groups that allow them to discriminate against GLBTs in employment and the delivery of goods and services, it would be up to the Greens to move forward on the issue.
“The Greens bill will close some of the worst loopholes in the Anti-Discrimination Act that allow unacceptable discrimination to continue not just for gays, lesbians and the gender diverse but also for those with a disability and so on,” Faehrmann said.
She said the justification given before the election by then NSW Attorney General John Hatzistergos — that the exemptions maintained a “delicate balance” between protecting individuals from discrimination and allowing people to practise their beliefs — was “out of touch”.
“It is out of touch with the reality of the everyday discrimination faced by individuals in accessing health services or aged care, education and employment,” Faehrmann said.
“For the most part these exemptions are applied in the provision of public services which have a direct and practical impact on the life of the individual concerned, regardless of his or her faith or otherwise.
“When the Greens bill comes before this place again, I challenge those who will oppose it to explain why it is acceptable that in 2011 a young gay man or woman can be legally expelled by a private school for no reason other than his or her sexual orientation.
“How does this protect freedom of faith? Why is it acceptable that a faith-based aged care home or foster care provider can legally discriminate against transgender workers whose gender identity has nothing to do with their ability to perform the responsibilities of their profession?
“As a Parliament in a secular society we must rightly determine that no student in an educational institution, no employee in the workplace and no patient accessing any kind of health care should ever be disadvantaged or discriminated against because of his or her sexual orientation, sex and/or gender identity.”
Faehrmann’s office told the Star Observer the Greens would introduce a bill before the 2015 NSW state election and this would be preceded by a wide consultation process.
Good on the Greens for taking oxygen away from major parties and getting air time to focus on equality.
Nice try but sadly it will fail. While I understand that this is a state issue. the real problem is at the Federal level. We have a gay hating Prime Minister and a gay hating Opposition Leader. While this remains, there is no pressure whatsoever on the States.
A what society now? Secular? I think that Faehrmann is sadly mistaken. Australia would be better off as a secular society but the reality of it is that religion is still being allowed to pull the strings and have political sway at all. That, to me, is not secular.
“faehrmann’s office told the star observer the Greens would introduce a bill … and this would be preceded by a wide consultation process”
whilst i applaud the greens for their continuing support of the glbti community, i must say i’m sick to death of these ‘consultation’ processes. who do you have to ‘consult’ with to change a wrong into a right? the legislation is wrong! period! change it!