Media Release
Friday November 4th 2016
NATIONAL LGBTI RIGHTS GROUP LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN TO REMOVE EXEMPTIONS FROM VICTORIA'S EQUAL OPPORTUNITY ACT
RENEWED CALL FOR TASMANIANS TO OPPOSE WEAKENING ANTI-BIAS PROTECTIONS
Advocates are encouraging supporters of equality to write to Victorian MPs urging them to remove anti-LGBTI exemptions from the state Equal Opportunity Act.
Just.equal spokesperson, Ivan Hinton-Teoh, said,
"Just.equal is committed to removing exemptions that allow discrimination against LGBTI people."
"In Victoria faith-based agencies and schools are allowed to discriminate against LGBTI employees, clients and students, which is completely unacceptable."
"We have set up a new webform that will make it easy for Victorians to ask for these outdated and damaging exemptions to be removed."
The Victorian Labor Government plans to narrow existing exemptions while the Greens seek to remove exemptions in relation to employment and school students.
Just.equal also called on concerned Tasmanians to continue to write to state Upper House members in defence of that state's Anti-Discrimination Act through
the "Protect Respect" website:
The Tasmanian Liberal Government is proposing to water down the state's strong protections against hate speech by allowing religious exemptions for the first time.
Amendments to both the Victorian Equal Opportunity Act and the Tasmanian Anti-Discrimination Act are expected to be debated this coming week.
