politics
Labor blasts ‘secrecy’ around religious discrimination bill
Labor Shadow Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has criticised the Morrison Government for “secrecy” around their religious discrimination bill and called for proper consultation. Dreyfus said despite the Coalition “arguing about this issue for more than two years” they want to give Australians “just weeks” to debate the bill. He said much of the consultation was done …
Dear Christians, we are not the enemy…
The debate in Australia over religious freedoms would suggest that Christians and LGBTIQ communities are implacable foes. Advocates of religious freedoms legislation portray the issue as a fight to save Christians from persecution by the ‘Rainbow Cult’, a term frequently employed on Australian Christian Lobby Facebook page. However, the LGBTIQ communities are not enemies of …
Labor slams Lyle Shelton’s bid to join Queensland LNP
Lyle Shelton has said he is seeking to rejoin the Queensland Liberal National party after the closure of Cory Bernardi’s Australian Conservatives party. Shelton left the Australian Christian Lobby to run as a Senate candidate for Bernardi’s party at the federal election. But following the party’s massive election failure, Shelton says he has now applied …
Australians oppose religious ‘right’ to discriminate, poll finds
A new poll has found Australians “overwhelmingly” believe religious organisations should not have the right to discriminate against LGBTIQ people and others. The Galaxy/YouGov poll, commissioned by PFLAG Australia, revealed 63% of Australians don’t believe religious organisations should have the right to discriminate against LGBTIQ people, unmarried mothers, divorcees and de facto partners. The figure …
Health body rejects News Corp claim of national transgender inquiry
The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) has rejected a claim it is conducting a “national inquiry” into the “safety and ethics” of medical treatment for transgender children. On Saturday, The Australian newspaper claimed the RACP had “agreed to do the inquiry” with the backing of Health Minister Greg Hunt. Hunt had received a submission …
Warning over government’s ‘religious freedom’ laws
Attorney-General Christian Porter has described proposed religious discrimination laws as a “shield” to protect people rather than a “sword” to discriminate against others. Porter presented a draft plan for the laws to Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s cabinet on Tuesday. He said he expects to release the draft bill within a few weeks. He said the …
No hurry to claim Alan Jones as our own
Alan Jones is, many people believe, a misogynist. Yet the most common word used for him by online detractors is arguably the most misogynist in the English language. Similarly, people usually scathing of homophobia don’t hesitate to call Jones a ‘bitter old queen’. What do we do about a man who brings out the worst …
Brisbane rally opposes government’s ‘religious freedom’ laws
A Brisbane protest rally has opposed LGBTIQ discrimination in the name of “religious freedom” and the Morrison government’s new religious discrimination laws. The government plans to introduce the as-yet-unseen legislation before the end of the year. But advocates are concerned about the detail of the bills and their impact on the LGBTIQ community. A few …
Brisbane rally to protest religious discrimination
A Brisbane rally opposing anti-discrimination exemptions for religious groups in the name of “religious freedom” will be held this weekend. The rally will call on the Morrison government not to “further entrench and broaden discrimination” with new “religious freedom” laws. “Discrimination cannot be tolerated under the guise of religious belief or any other basis,” the …
Mark Latham slams Drag Queen Story Time
One Nation’s NSW leader Mark Latham has slammed a Drag Queen Story Time event promoting inclusion and diversity as “inappropriate”. Latham took aim at city council libraries in Kogarah in Sydney’s south and Erskineville in the inner-city for hosting the events. Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, he demanded Education Minister Sarah Mitchell issue a directive …