The Catholic education sector is open to fast-tracking protections for LGBTQI+ students but warns this must be done carefully to avoid unintended consequences, reports LisaVisentin
The Catholic education sector is open to fast-tracking protections for LGBTQI+ students as the Federal Parliament considers proposed religious discrimination laws, but it warns that this must be done carefully to avoid unintended consequences.
Ms Collins will urge the Parliament to support the Religious Discrimination Bill at the first public hearing into the proposed laws by the joint human rights committee on Tuesday, saying “Catholic schools should be free to be Catholic” and hire staff who reflect their ethos. Catholic schools are the largest provider of faith-based education, accounting for about 60 per cent of student enrolments in the non-government sector.
Christian Schools Australia and the Australian Christian Lobby are opposed to abolishing the exemption and have declared they will withdraw support for the bill if it is scrapped. The bill says a statement of belief will not amount to discrimination when it is genuinely held, made in good faith and is part of religious doctrine, providing it is not malicious, threatening, harassing or vilifying. It will override all existing federal and state anti-discrimination laws.
Equality Australia said the statement of belief provision could result in organisations altering their internal polices “to accommodate offensive, harmful or demeaning speech in the workplace for fear that they will be sued for religious discrimination if they do not”.
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