The proposed Australian Capital Territory Discrimination Amendment Bill 2022, introduced by the Minister for Human Rights, Tara Cheyne, is a clear threat to religious freedom according to the Australian Christian Lobby.
ACT’s Director for the Australian Christian Lobby , Rob Norman, said, “The Bill seriously undermines the religious freedom of ACT families and institutions. The Bill forces parents to allow children under 12 to play in sporting teams that do not correspond to their biological sex, thus undermining the rights of parents to choose what is acceptable for their children.
“The Bill also unfairly limits the rights of religious institutions to employ staff that agree with their faith and ethos.
“Clearly the ACT Government is seeking to discriminate against people of faith by intruding into their churches, schools and personal choices. Australia needs a Religious Discrimination Act to protect religious Australians from government overreach and threats to religious freedoms”.
The Discrimination Amendment Bill 2022 is likely to be debated in the ACT Parliament in early 2023. We call on the ACT government to listen carefully to the concerns of religious people and protect their rights accordingly.
ENDS
