Christian groups have accused Scott Morrison of “betraying” the purpose of the Coalition’s religious discrimination bill by announcing an amendment that would prevent students from being expelled for their sexual orientation.
Morrison made the shocking announcement on Brisbane radio Thursday morning in an attempt to divide a coalition government in an effort to get Citipointe Christian College to get families to sign a registration contract against homosexuality and anti-trans-transmission. The school has canceled contracts.
Morrison promised in October 2018 that he would prevent LGBTQ + students from being expelled but the conversion did not happen because it would still allow religious schools to discriminate against LGBTQ + students in other ways.
A group of four equitable Liberals demanded an exemption that allowed religious schools to discriminate against the Sexual Offenses Act at the same time as the religious discrimination bill was passed.
But the attorney general, Michaelia Cash, later appeared to rescind the deal, telling Christian tour group FamilyVoice in mid-December that changes to protect LGBTQ + students would have to wait 12 months and a review.
Earlier on Wednesday evening, the attorney general, Amanda Stoker, said child protection amendments would be dealt with separately in the religious bill.
But on Thursday, Morrison told B105.3 radio that he did not support Citipointe’s efforts to get families to sign statements that homosexual acts were “immoral” and “offensive to God” and that transgender people would not be recognized.
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“My children go to a Christian school, and I don’t want my school to do that,” said Morrison.
“The bill that we will be submitting to parliament, we will have an amendment that will address this to ensure that children are not discriminated against in that way. I’ve been saying that for years. That was always my opinion. ”
Morrison added that schools “should be able to teach children” in line with their faith – whether they are Christians, Muslims or Jews.
He said the religious discrimination bill would protect Australians “whether they have faith or not”.
The Guardian Australia understands that Morrison told Liberal allies and wrote to opposition leader Anthony Albanese in early December saying he would introduce an amendment to the SDA.
“In line with my second reading statement, when I said that there is no place in our education system for any form of student discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, the government will issue an amendment to remove the provisions of his identity. [The SDA] introduced in 2013 reduced the protection provided under the Act, ”Morrison wrote to Albanese on December 1.
FamilyVoice responded angrily on Thursday, when spokesman Greg Bondar told Guardian Australia that the proposed amendment was “not in line with” Cash’s commitment to the party.
“Scott Morrison has laid bare the basis for a religious discrimination bill,” he said.
“Morrison has fallen into the same trap as Bill Shorten in 2019, ignoring the voice of the Christian community.”
Bondar also complained about Citipointe’s resignation, defending the school “simply for the sake of supporting scientific truth and the Christian worldview of human sexuality”. “This is a sad day for all Australians especially religious schools as it puts religious freedom and freedom of speech at stake,” he said.
Australian Christian Lobby and Christian Schools Australia both earlier threatened to withdraw their support for a religious discrimination bill if amendments relating to LGBTQ + students were added.
The national LGBTQ + rights organization, Equality Australia, has welcomed the commitment but is still demanding that the bill be repealed.
Ghassan Kassisieh, legal director at Equality Australia, said the proposed changes were “long overdue and better protection should work for both teachers and students”.
“But the Morrison government’s anti-religious bill will invite this type of practice to be employed in all religious organizations, from schools, nursing homes, emergencies and hospitals,” he said.
“It may be that the prime minister is putting out a little fire, but [the bill] will create discrimination in the religious community for anyone who has a different belief than their employer based on religion – even when they can do honest work. required of them. ”
The tower of St Andrews Presbyterian Church can be seen near the flagpole of the Australian Parliament House in Canberra.
The majority of voters reject the Coalition’s proposal to allow discriminatory religious statements, proposing a referendum.
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Just Equal spokesman Rodney Croome said the SDA amendment would not be in vain because the religious discrimination bill expanded the area for religious schools to discriminate against LGBTQ + students and teachers because of their religious beliefs.
“As the actions of Citipointe Christian College clearly show, there are religious schools that hide discrimination against LGBTIQ + students through religious beliefs rather than directly discriminate on the basis of gender or sexual orientation,” he said.
The text of the proposed amendment is yet to be released and Morrison is not committed to preventing teachers from being fired for their gender – despite the fact that in November it was “his opinion” that was inappropriate.
On Friday, two parliamentary questions on the religious discrimination bill will report before a brief parliamentary session on which labor support will be needed to pass the proposed law.
In both committees, the Coalition and Labor are collaborating with the aim of writing a joint report, but Labor could go further in expressing significant concerns about the statements of belief clause and expanded hiring and firing powers over teachers. The Greens oppose the bill