Media Release
Thursday October 11th 2018
 
GREENS FEDERAL FAITH SCHOOL ANTI-BIAS MOVE WELCOMED
 
Equality advocates have welcomed a Greens' commitment to a new federal law protecting LGBTI students and teachers from discrimination at religious schools.
 
The Greens today announced they will table an amendment to the Sex Discrimination Act removing existing exemptions that allow religious schools to expell LGBTI students and sack LGBTI teachers.
 
Just.equal spokesperson, Rodney Croome, said,
 
"We welcome the Greens' initiative because schools should be places of learning not breeding grounds of prejudice."
 
"Queensland discrimination law already protects students at religious schools from discrimination, while Tasmanian law protects students and teachers."
 
"These protections are also in place in many comparable countries including the UK, where they were enacted in 2000."
 
"We must be bringing national law up to the higher standard set in Tasmania and Queensland rather than reducing it to the low standard in states like NSW and Victoria, as the Ruddock report recommends and Prime Minister seems determined to do."
 
The Greens' amendment will draw on international human rights agreements to which Australia is a signatory that protect all Australians from discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity. 
 
For a copy of this statement on the web, click here
 
For more information contact Rodney Croome on 0409 010 668.