Zed Seselja (ACT, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Treasury and Finance) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Deputy President. So we agree with that. But the bill, as it stands, unamended, would go much further than that. And Labor appears intent, unfortunately, on following the Greens down a path of persecuting religious schools or for pursuing a majority test for religious freedom.

Our amendments clarify that faith based schools and other educational institutions should still be allowed to teach in accordance with their faith, by ensuring they can hire people according to their ethos and allowing them to put in place reasonable rules of conduct to preserve their religious character. I firmly believe that reasonable senators here support freedom of religion and the freedom of schools to teach their values. And if you support those fundamental rights and freedoms, I would urge you to support the government amendments to this bill, which will ensure there is no unjust discrimination but will protect the rights of faith based schools. I commend those amendments to the Senate.