Report On New Law To Ban Religious Schools From Discriminating Against LGBT Students Delayed 

The Australian Law Reform Commission’s report on legal reforms to ban religious schools from sacking teachers or expelling students for being LGBTQI is likely to come only by the end of the year. 

The Anthony Albanese government on Thursday extended the deadline for the ALRC to submit its report on legal reforms to protect LGBTQI student, teachers and staff in religious schools to December 31, 2023. 

“At the request of Commissioner the Hon Justice Stephen Rothman AM, I have agreed to an extension for the reporting date for the Australian Law Reform Commission’s (ALRC) review of religious exemptions for educational institutions in Federal anti-discrimination law,” Attorney General Mark Dreyfus said in a statement. 

“The extension will give the ALRC further time to properly consider the very large number of submissions to the inquiry.” 

Removing Exemptions For Religious Schools

Federal anti-discriminations laws like the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 and the Fair Work Act 2009 provide exemptions to faith-based schools, allowing them to discriminate against LGBTQI students, teachers and staff. 

The Albanese government in 2022 tasked the ALRC to come up with recommendations to remove the exemptions. The ALRC was to submit its report by April 21, 2023. Äccording to the government, ALRC requested an extension after it received a large volume of public submissions. 

Christian Schools Australian and the Australian Association of Christian Schools pulled out of the consultation with ALRC claiming they had  “lost faith” in the commission. In its submission, the Presbyterian Church of Australia said that it should have the right to ban gay students from leadership roles like that of the school captain. 

Discrimination In Faith-Based Hospitals, Charities

LGBTQI advocacy organisation Just.Equal said that the commission should use the extension for an inquiry into discrimination by faith-based services, including hospitals and charities.

“Discrimination in faith-based hospitals, disability, welfare and employment services and charities is just as serious as discrimination in faith-based schools and should be subject to the current inquiry,” Just.Equal spokesperson, Sally Goldner, said in a statement. 

“Those who seek help from faith-based services are often vulnerable and in great need, while staff in these services are under immense pressure to meet this need. It is completely unacceptable that these clients and staff members should face the possibility of discrimination because they are LGBTQ+ without any legal protection.”

“If it’s wrong to expel LGBTQ+ students and sack LGBTQ+ teachers, then it’s also wrong to discriminate against employees and clients of hospitals, disability, welfare and employment services and charities,” added Goldner