Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus tables the Australian Law Reform Commission's report into religious discrimination protections in Federal Parliament on Thursday, March 21, 2024.
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00:00 Mr Speaker, no Australian should be discriminated against because of who they are or what they
00:07 believe.
00:08 The Australian Law Reform Commission's report tabled today is not a report from the Government.
00:15 It is advice to the Government and we will continue to consider it.
00:20 The Government will seek to enhance protections in anti-discrimination law in a way that brings
00:26 Australians together.
00:28 Just as Commonwealth law already prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, gender,
00:34 sexuality, disability and age, no one should be discriminated against because of their
00:40 faith.
00:41 Equally, no student or member of staff should be discriminated against because of who they
00:47 are.
00:48 At the same time, religious schools must continue to be able to build and maintain communities
00:56 of faith.
00:58 The Government recognises and respects the right of parents to send their kids to a religious
01:03 school because of the beliefs and values they teach their children.
01:07 Over many months, we have been talking to a range of religious institutions, community
01:12 organisations, unions and legal experts.
01:15 We thank them for their engagement and we thank the Australian Law Reform Commission
01:20 for its work.
01:22 The Government is seeking an enduring solution that strengthens protections for all of us,
01:27 for students, for teachers, for people of faith.
01:31 And that's why bipartisan support for solutions is essential.