Nick McKim (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

Australia's Commonwealth laws still allow faith based institutions to lawfully discriminate against people, whether they be teachers at schools, patients in hospitals or people relying on essential services like housing. Let's be clear. Religious belief should not be a licence to discriminate. When an organisation provides education, health care, housing or crisis support to people, it should follow the same rules as everyone else. No-one should lose their rights because of the religious belief of the organisation that runs the service they rely on.

This discrimination, of course, impacts on the LGBTIQA+ Australians in particular. Students and teachers should feel safe at school no matter who they are. Patients should receive care at hospitals no matter who they are. People in crisis should never be excluded from support no matter who they are. The Australian Law Reform Commission has been clear: religious exemptions to antidiscrimination laws undermine human rights and cause real harm, and this particularly applies to LGBTIQA+ Australians.

The Greens respect freedom of religion. Belief and worship are, and should be, protected. Australians are ready to move on from outdated carve-outs that allow discrimination on the basis of religion. Labor promised action. This term must be the term when Labor finally delivers. The numbers are there for reform in both chambers of this parliament—if only Labor would act. If Labor refuses to act, the Greens will. (Time expired)