Media Release
Thursday February 3rd 2022
 
New opinion poll shows opposition to Religious Discrimination Bill
Majority of Coalition, ALP voters against
 
"The message from the poll is clear. Australians do not support special privileges for religious people to be exempt from anti-discrimination laws." - Brian Greig

A new survey by YouGov Galaxy has found a clear majority of voters do not support key sections of the government’s Religious Discrimination Bill.

Opposition is found among both Coalition and Labor voters and across all age groups.

In late January almost 1,030 people around the nation were asked four questions about key elements of the bill. Opposition to these was found across the states.

Australians are opposed to allowing harmful “statements of belief” in the name religion.

They oppose discrimination against LGBT staff in religious schools and other faith-based organisations providing health, age care, employment and housing services.

They also oppose religious schools refusing to enrol or expelling LGBT students.

Spokesperson for Just Equal Australia which commissioned the poll, Brian Greig, said key aspects of the Religious Discrimination Bill which remove protections against denigration and discrimination for LGBT people do not have public support.

“The Federal Government must reassess its ideological push for this divisive bill, and the Opposition must recognise the strong objections to this bill from Labor voters,” Mr Greig said.

A majority of those people who identified as Christian in the survey (75%), opposed the “statements of belief” provision in the bill.  

Opposition to this section was also strong among both Coalition voters at 76%, and higher still for Labor voters at 81%.

Mr Greig said the message from the poll is clear.

“Australians do not support special privileges for religious people to be exempt from anti-discrimination laws.

“Nor do they support a bill that allows people to discriminate against others in the name of faith,” he said.

Mr Greig said the bill must not be rushed through parliament in the “chaotic environment” of the last few sitting days before the election.

“This bill must be withdrawn and rewritten to remove its unwanted, harmful content.”
 
A copy of the polling is attached.
For a copy of this statement on the web, click here

Contact: Brian Greig: 0407 776 961