Amended Religious Discrimination Bill is worse and should be rejected
The Morrison Government’s amendments to the Religious Discrimination Bill have made the bill worse overall, the Human Rights Law Centre has warned.
Hugh de Kretser Executive Director at the Human Rights Law Centre, said that MPs should reject the bill if the Government introduces it to Parliament in its current form.
“People of faith should have stronger protections from discrimination in Australia but this proposed law gets the balance wrong. Recent amendments have made the bill worse overall. If the major flaws in the proposed law aren’t fixed, MPs should reject it,” said Mr de Kretser.
“This proposed law will make it harder for hospitals, health clinics and pharmacies to require staff who have a conscientious objection to refer patients to another service. This is particularly concerning in relation to health services like abortion, fertility treatment and birth control.”
“Women should not live in the fear of their healthcare being denied or delayed because of the religious views of their doctor. This Bill prioritises a doctor’s personal religious beliefs over the right of women to access the healthcare they need.”
“The bill provides protection for people who express bigotry on religious grounds, overriding state and territory laws which ensure fair treatment.”
The Human Rights Law Centre warned that the proposed bill unjustifiably gives religious bodies a license to discriminate in a range areas well beyond the appointment priests or who participates in worship.
“The recent amendments have made it easier for religious bodies to discriminate in the hiring of staff, including in publicly funded hospitals and aged care centres. They have also made it easier for religious bodies to discriminate in the delivery of services such as family, youth, employment, training or disability services.”
Mr de Kretser also expressed concern about further delays in implementing Prime Minister Morrison’s commitment to address discrimination against LGBTIQ children in religious schools.
"It’s outrageous that children can still be discriminated against by religious schools because of their sexuality or gender identity. The Prime Minister has broken his commitment made just last year to introduce and pass legislation to protect school students as soon as possible. Instead of making it easier for religion to harm others, the Morrison Government should be protecting kids from discrimination by religious schools,” said Mr de Kretser.
The Human Rights Law Centre will be making a submission on the amendments introduced in the Second Exposure Draft of the bill.
The Human Rights Law Centre’s submission on the First Exposure Draft is here.