The Albanese Government continues to fail to deliver promised protections for freedom of religion and the autonomy of Christian schools.
This failure is starkly illustrated by the confrontation between Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus and Shadow Attorney-General Michaelia Cash this week, revealing a deep-seated bias within the government towards radical LGBTIQA+ activists.
These activists, backed by the well-funded Equality Australia lobby, are aggressively pushing to strip religious schools of their right to employ staff who share their religious ethos, robbing parents of the right to educate their children in their values.
Things are so bad, the Catholic Archbishop of Sydney, Anthony Fisher, warned yesterday that Catholic schools and even hospitals may need to close if the government won't let them be Christian. Who would have ever thought Australia would come to this?
Archbishop Peter Comensoli of Melbourne and Archbishop Fisher, along with Jacinta Collins, Executive Director of the National Catholic Education Commission, intervened in the debate this week expressing serious concerns about the government's secret draft religious discrimination laws.
They argue that, as it stands, the legislation would significantly diminish the legal and operational freedoms of faith-based educational institutions.
Their detailed proposal, sent to both the government and the opposition, emphasizes the need for more precise protections for Christian schools to replace section 38 of the Sex Discrimination Act (SDA).
The proposal underscores that the current draft laws would lead to a substantial reduction in religious schools' ability to maintain their religious ethos and fidelity to their beliefs and practices, particularly when it comes to marriage and gender.
However, the government's lack of responsiveness to these concerns is alarming.
The Albanese administration’s reluctance to adopt these recommendations or release a revised draft for public debate indicates a troubling disregard for the religious freedoms of faith-based institutions.
Instead, there appears to be a preference for catering to radical activist agendas, which threatens the integrity of religious education in Australia.
Moreover, the government's proposed new hate speech laws, currently being drafted by Dreyfus, are only likely to further threaten religious freedom and freedom of speech.
While these laws aim to protect against vilification based on race, sexuality, gender, disability, or religion, they are likely to infringe on legitimate religious expression and speech.
The balancing act between protecting individuals from hate speech and preserving freedom of religion is delicate and requires careful consideration but the Albanese government seems to be dancing to the tune of Green-left activists.
In conclusion, the government must address the legitimate concerns of religious communities regarding the proposed religious discrimination laws.
The current trajectory threatens to erode the foundational freedoms that allow religious schools to operate in accordance with their faith. It is imperative that the government honours its commitment to protect religious freedoms, ensuring that faith-based institutions can continue to provide education aligned with their deeply held beliefs. Failure to do so would not only betray the trust of religious communities but also undermine the pluralistic fabric of Australian society.
Action: Join the fight for freedom of speech and freedom of religion. Join Family First today.