More than 20,000 parents, grandparents and students have signed an open letter to the Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten urging no changes be made to religious freedom exemptions for faith-based schools, according to the Australian Christian Lobby.
Martyn Iles, managing director of the ACL, said that to remove religious freedom exemptions from schools would be an “attack” on the way of life of people who have made “huge sacrifices” so their children can be educated in a faith-based environment and the “careful choices” they have made for their children.
A Senate committee inquiry charged with examining the treatment of gay students and teachers at faith-based schools has recommended the amendment and removal of parts of the Sex Discrimination Act which allow such institutions to discriminate against students on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
The inquiry – which was launched following the leaking of sections of the findings of the Ruddock review which had looked at whether Australian law adequately protects religious freedom – also recommended “further consideration” be given to amending the Sex Discrimination Act to prohibit discrimination by religious schools against gay teachers and staff.
Coalition senators, in a dissenting report, rejected the majority committee report and instead recommended the government “give further consideration to legislation that would enshrine and protect the right of religious freedom that would make it clear that religious schools and religious universities are permitted to operate in accordance with the doctrines, tenets and beliefs of their particular faith”.
Meanwhile, the ACL’s Iles, pointing to a Newspoll conducted for The Australian newspaper released today showing 59 per cent of people were in favour of new laws to protect individuals, schools and companies because of their religious beliefs, said community support for religious freedom “could not be clearer”.
“We call on parliamentarians to listen to the people and act in the best interests of all Australians by protecting religious freedom.”
The ACL’s online petition – found at www.saveourschools.org.au – has been signed by approximately 12,000 parents, 7,000 grandparents and 1,500 students from Christian school communities across Australia. It will be presented to Morrison and Shorten in coming weeks.
