Andrew Barr has sent a scathing submission to the Federal Government about the latest version of the proposed religious freedom bill.
The Federal Government's proposed religious freedom laws would seriously threaten, and in some cases override, human rights protections, the ACT Government says.ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr is concerned the religious freedom bill will create"religious privilege" Federal Attorney-General Christian Porter says the bill is"common sense" and any suggestions otherwise are"wrong"In a scathing submission on the latest version of the proposed religious freedom bill, Chief Minister Andrew Barr says the laws would elevate religious freedom to a special position above all other human rights, essentially creating"religious privilege".
He also said the laws would threaten the well-being of ordinary citizens and their"freedom from religion". The Federal Government's second attempt at a religious freedom bill has received a mixed reception; some religious leaders have welcomed it but others have criticised it. Conservative Liberal MP Concetta Fierrevanti-Wells called this week for the bill to be scrapped, telling The Sydney Morning Herald"no bill is better than this flawed bill". Attorney-General Christian Porter indicated further consultation would take place before the legislation was introduced. But the ACT's submission details a wide range of problems with the draft, and its potential implications for healthcare, education and employment in Canberra. Some of the most prominent voices in religion in Australia are driven by fear, and Baptist minister Tim Costello says Christians in particular have an unfounded anxiety about being persecuted. In an extended interview with the ABC, Mr Barr said the most serious aspect was the proposed protections for"statements of belief", which he argued would explicitly override any anti-discrimination laws in place at a state or territory level. "This draft legislation is giving a priority to religion, effectively elevating that over people's rights for freedom of expression," he said. "And this is, I think, quite a problematic situation where it's religious privilege, rather than freedom of religion.""Much like the ACT's own Discrimination Act, the bill says that in most areas of public life, you should not be treated adversely because of your religion," Mr Porter said. "Equally, the bill says religious bodies do not engage in religious discrimination by acting in accordance with their faith.Potential problems with Catholic health services
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