The Morrison Government will consider bringing in protections for students in schools on the basis of sexuality, but is not prepared to include transgender students in the process of bringing in their Religious Discrimination Bill.
Finance Minister and Senate Leader Simon Birmingham has announced the distinction during a radio interview this morning, saying the government is prepared to change the Sex Discrimination Act to offer protections on the basis of sexuality, but will not be making amendments to provide protections on the basis of gender identity.
Speaking on ABC Radio National, Senator Birmingham said “the proposal is to repeal the exemption as it relates to sexual orientation, [but] it doesn’t go further than that”.
Senator Birmingham said the government would still be asking the Law Reform Commission to investigate the effects of the Religious Discrimination Bill 12 months after its passage, saying the issue of transgender students would have a relatively quick review.
The government is hoping to pass the third draft of it’s long promised Religious Discrimination Bill before the 2022 election, and Senator Birmingham said the inclusion of protections for students on the basis of sexuality was “a positive step forward”.
Previously it was revealed that Prime Minister Scott Morrison had approach Labor leader Anthony Albanese looking to seek an agreement for the passage of the bill that would also cover protections on sexuality and gender, but now it seems gender identity is off the table.
Labor’s Manager of Opposition Business in the lower house, Tony Burke, has responded to the latest carve out saying the Prime Minister should stick to his word and bring in protections on both sexuality and gender identity.
“We want a society in which no one is discriminated against,” Burke said when appearing on the same radio program “Everyone should be protected. That is the objective.”
Debate on the bill is expected to recommence today.
OIP Staff
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