MR: CALL ON LABOR TO SCRAP RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION FOR MISINFORMATION AND DISINFORMATION BILL

Media Release Monday November 13th 2023 CALL ON LABOR TO SCRAP RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION FOR MISINFORMATION AND DISINFOR

Media Release

Monday November 13th 2023

CALL ON LABOR TO SCRAP RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION FOR MISINFORMATION AND DISINFORMATION BILL

Just.Equal Australia has condemned a proposed religious exemption in proposed federal misinformation and disinformation law.

The LGBTIQA+ equality group says the exemption will allow for the spread of harmful falsehoods about LGBTIQA+ people.

Spokesperson, Sally Goldner said,

"There are already mountains of harmful misinformation and disinformation about LGBTIQA+ people in the public domain, and a religious exemption in the proposed legislation will just make this worse by sending the message that such misinformation and disinformation is okay if it is dressed up as religious doctrine."

"Misinformation and disinformation about LGBTIQA+ people, especially, trans and gender diverse people, is the foundation of discrimination and violence."

"Instead of proposing what is effectively a new religious freedom bill the Australian Government should extend existing national vilification laws to LGBTIQA+ people and other groups."

Ms Goldner said a number of religious groups have opposed a religious exemption including Catholics for Renewal and Concerned Catholics Tasmania whose submissions to the bill's inquiry said no exemption should be granted for the "damaging" and "unscientific" teaching that homosexuality is "an objective disorder".

For a copy of this statement on the web, click here

For more information contact Sally Goldner on 0407 946 242.