Public Interest Advocacy Centre
The second exposure draft of the Morrison Government’s Religious Discrimination Bill is a threat to the human rights of many Australians, according to analysis by the Public Interest Advocacy Centre.
‘The latest Bill does not address the serious concerns of groups across the community who stand to have their rights eroded. Instead it widens the scope for religious organisations to discriminate when providing public (and publicly funded) services and protects “statements of belief” which humiliate, intimidate, insult or ridicule other people on the basis of who they are,’ said Jonathon Hunyor, PIAC CEO.
‘Religious schools, charities and other organisations are given an almost free license to discriminate against people who do not share their religious beliefs. Religious hospitals, aged care facilities and accommodation providers are allowed to fire, or refuse to hire, people simply because of their religious beliefs. This Bill will not help build a more inclusive and tolerant Australia.’
‘It is disappointing to see that provisions relating to “statements of belief” which override all Commonwealth, state and territory anti-discrimination laws, including the Fair Work Act and the best practice Tasmanian Anti-Discrimination Act, are essentially unchanged in this draft,’ said Mr Hunyor.
‘The Bill would see women, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people, people with disability and others exposed to derogatory
/Public Release.
