Report on religious discrimination laws tabled in Parliament

The Canberra Times

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus tables the Australian Law Reform Commission's report into religious discrimination protections in Federal Parliament on Thursday, March 21, 2024.

Transcript

00:00 Mr Speaker, no Australian should be discriminated against because of who they are or what they

00:07 believe.

00:08 The Australian Law Reform Commission's report tabled today is not a report from the Government.

00:15 It is advice to the Government and we will continue to consider it.

00:20 The Government will seek to enhance protections in anti-discrimination law in a way that brings

00:26 Australians together.

00:28 Just as Commonwealth law already prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, gender,

00:34 sexuality, disability and age, no one should be discriminated against because of their

00:40 faith.

00:41 Equally, no student or member of staff should be discriminated against because of who they

00:47 are.

00:48 At the same time, religious schools must continue to be able to build and maintain communities

00:56 of faith.

00:58 The Government recognises and respects the right of parents to send their kids to a religious

01:03 school because of the beliefs and values they teach their children.

01:07 Over many months, we have been talking to a range of religious institutions, community

01:12 organisations, unions and legal experts.

01:15 We thank them for their engagement and we thank the Australian Law Reform Commission

01:20 for its work.

01:22 The Government is seeking an enduring solution that strengthens protections for all of us,

01:27 for students, for teachers, for people of faith.

01:31 And that's why bipartisan support for solutions is essential.

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