QLD

The "Respect at Work" Bill

On Monday September 10, the Queensland Parliament passed the “Respect at Work” bill, without fixing any of the problems that we have been highlighting.

You can read more detail here.

Our campaign is not over.

We were encouraged that the Liberal National Party, Katter’s Australian Party and Independent MP Sandy Bolton all spoke out against the dangers this bill poses to religious freedom and freedom of speech.

Now, we need them to commit to fixing the bill if they win the next election.

If your MP wanted to fix the bill, write to them again to thank them for supporting faith communities, and ask them to commit to fixing the bill in the next Government.

If your MP supported the bill without fixing it (Labor or Greens), we suggest you instead write to the Leader of the Opposition and the Shadow Attorney-General and thank them for their support and ask for their commitment.

Write NOW

Enter your suburb or postcode to find your MP’s contact details, how they voted, and writing tips.

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What is in the bill?

The Respect at Work and Other Matters Amendment Bill 2024 was introduced as a replacement of the controversial draft Anti-Discrimination Bill 2024. The bill is intended to implement recommendations from the Federal “Respect@Work” report.

However, the bill contains sections that go way beyond the terms or recommendations of the Report. These sections pose a serious threat that will harm religious communities, including:

Make anti-vilification easily weaponised by one minority group against another, allowing them to silence speech that they consider “hateful”, with no protection for good-faith religious discussion.

Ban “harassment on the basis of sex” on the possibility that staff or volunteers might be offended, including:

Teaching religious beliefs about gender and sexuality
Having separate ministry roles, or places of worship, for men and women
Requiring staff and volunteers to live according to their faith in regards to sex and sexuality

Authorise the Anti-Discrimination Commission to investigate churches, mosques and synagogues to enforce compliance.