With two parliamentary inquiries now reviewing the divisive Religious Discrimination Bill, our campaign team is busy writing submissions!
In our submissions, we’re detailing why we oppose the federal government’s package of religious discrimination legislation.
We’ll share the submissions with you once we’ve finalised them. But here are some of our key concerns:
- The bill would cause unnecessary division, based on religious lines, throughout communities across the country.
- The bill would override existing state-based anti-discrimination laws – in a significant departure from the usual approach to federal anti-discrimination laws.
- The bill would elevate statements of religious belief above all other statements of belief.
- In empowering religious bodies to hire and fire based on particular interpretations of religious dogma, the bill would unfairly reduce employment opportunities for non-religious people – and even many religious people of the same denomination – in taxpayer-funded sectors of the employment market.
- Anti-discrimination law usually applies to individuals, but this bill would allow corporate organisations – for example, the Australian Christian Lobby – to sue.
How to have your say
It’s important we all make our voices heard through the parliamentary committee process.
1. Make a submission
Follow these links to find out how you can make submissions by the following deadlines.
In making your own submissions, please use any of our points above, add your own views or refer to the resources on the #DontDivideUs website. Submissions don’t have to be long. If you can manage even a couple of paragraphs, it will help us stand up against unfair religious privilege.
2. Complete the survey
You can also express your opposition to the bill through a short survey being conducted by the Joint Committee on Human Rights. The survey consists of 10 yes/no questions and takes less than five minutes to complete.
We’ll keep you updated on further developments.
Once again, thanks for your support.
The #DontDivideUs Team
The religious discrimination bill is an attempt to institutionalised discrimination in Australia favouring unfounded and bigoted fears of religious extremists.
this bill is contradictory of the ethos and possible actual law of the Discrimination Act and Australian’s general belief of a ‘ fair go ‘.
We cannot let this happen!
NOBODY and no organization should have the ability to discriminate against ANYBODY for ANY reason. Full stop, period.
This is a terrible divisive bill it allows one group to discriminate over another. The whole world is shocked and perplexed on why country like Australia would even consider something like this.
Please do not discriminate
Religious people are not under threat in this country. This is merely an attempt to divide our society.
As per the Constitution religion and State should be separate.
The bill is not warranted as we already have strict laws in place to address discriminatory behaviour.
This bill would be used to weaponise certain religious groups because it is not based on individuals but certain religious groups/organisations could take sue.
It would allow interpretations rather than black and white clear cut cases which would then put pressure on the vulnerable.
What we need is not a religious discrimination bill !! We need a bill that will ensure all religions pay tax and do not brainwash young children!!