The Queensland Attorney General is reportedly looking into adjustments to planned reforms of the Anti-Discrimination Act to address issues with religious organisations before the upcoming state election. Opposition from church leaders has led to a proposed modification aiming to align with federal legislation while addressing concerns around discrimination in faith-based schools.
Queensland Attorney General Yvette D’Ath is reportedly considering modifications to proposed reforms of the state’s Anti-Discrimination Act, aiming to avoid conflicts with religious institutions ahead of the state election. The state government had initially pledged in principle to incorporate all 122 recommendations from the Queensland Human Rights Commission’s extensive review of the Act. One key recommendation suggested eliminating the “genuine occupational requirement” clause, which permits faith-based schools to discriminate against teachers based on sexuality, pregnancy, relationship status, and gender identity.
Church leaders have recently voiced strong opposition to the draft legislation, with some describing it as a betrayal of faith communities. According to sources, D’Ath’s revised plan, backed by senior figures at the Queensland Council of Unions, will be presented to the cabinet on Monday and is expected to prompt vigorous debate. This plan intends to align with the federal “Respect at Work” bill, imposing a duty on workplaces to prevent victimization and harassment while potentially retaining the “genuine occupational requirement” clause.
This clause gained notoriety when Citipointe Christian College in Brisbane used it in employment contracts in 2022, pointing out that teachers could be dismissed for being openly homosexual and requiring families to sign statements of faith that addressed gender identity and homosexual acts controversially. As the cabinet prepares to discuss the reform, Citipointe Christian College has issued an expression of regret regarding its previous enrolment contracts, acknowledging the distress caused to the LGBTIQA+ community.
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