NSW
The NSW “Equality” Bill attacks religious schools and seriously erodes their ability to maintain their faith-based character.
The bill removes important provisions in the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 for the religious freedom rights of religious schools, with regard to the controversial issues of sexuality and transgender.
URGENT: The “Equality Bill” is scheduled for a vote by August 16.
– Contact your MP NOW!
The NSW Government has already committed to reviewing the anti-discrimination regime and should not support any changes to the Anti-Discrimination Act before this review is complete.
Nevertheless, Alex Greenwich’s “Equality” bill ignores this fact and tries to change the Anti-Discrimination Act by removing all protections for religious schools that allow them to operate according to their faith.
Under this legislation, schools can be taken to court and would need to convince a judge that their actions are ‘reasonable’ when:
In these various ways, the Bill would transfer from the Parliament to the judiciary the determination of important policy issues. Such matters should be determined by the Parliament, according to its democratic mandate. Unelected and unaccountable judges should not be given the final say on such contentious policy questions through the unfettered ‘reasonableness test’.
This bill attacks religious schools.
The bill removes balancing provisions that protect the religious freedom rights of religious schools with regard to sexuality and transgender.
The bill should be rejected in its entirety.