The Institute of Public Affairs today warned the federal government’s revised Religious Discrimination Bill will fail to address the fundamental threats to religious liberty in Australia contained in state anti-discrimination legislation.
“The protections for religious speech under the revised bill are simply too vague to be an effective shield for Australians of faith,” said Morgan Begg, the director of the Legal Rights Program at the Institute of Public Affairs.
“By adding more laws on top of bad laws, the government risks doing more harm than good.”
“Requiring the secular courts and human rights bureaucrats to define what are legitimate religious beliefs risks blurring the distinction between church and state.”
“Placing secular authorities above religious authorities in determining what counts as a genuine religion will move us closer to a system of state-sanctioned religious denominations.”
“Australians of faith are under siege due to a labyrinth of state-based anti-discrimination and anti-vilification laws. Adding more of the same will not solve the problem,” said Mr Begg.
Download the IPA’s report: Religious Freedom and its Challenges in Australia Today..
