Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I disagree with the statement you have made. The Prime Minister was very clear in the work he has been undertaking. In the first instance, we said that we would refer what Senator Sheldon has referred to to the Australian Law Reform Commission. The reason we have done that is that they are now undertaking a broad review of all exemptions for religious bodies in discrimination law across Australia. At the same time, we implemented the religious freedom review and today was the culmination of that—the Prime Minister himself introducing into the House of Representatives the Religious Discrimination Bill to ensure that Australians of faith and those not of faith should not be discriminated against because of their religion. Senator Sheldon, as you know, the Prime Minister has been very, very clear in relation to students. I have formally written to the Australian Law Reform Commission and I have made it very, very clear the government's view in relation to students. No student should expelled from a school because of their sexuality.