Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Environment, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On election night, the Prime Minister said:

I want Australia to continue to be a country that no matter where you live, who you worship, who you love or what your last name is, that places no restrictions on your journey in life.

And so, to that end, I had a great meeting today with representatives from a coalition of Christian schools who raised concerns with me about the proposals contained under the Australian Law Reform Commission's consultation paper around the allowances for faith based schools to hire in accordance with their faith. It was a very reasonable meeting, but the reason I'm concerned about it particularly is in light of the undertakings of the ACT Labor government's and their position in relation to the Cavalry hospital and their land grab and early termination of the lease of that hospital. I'm concerned about what the federal government is going to do, given they did nothing around Cavalry hospital, to protect the right for parents to choose what schools their children go to and the right of those schools to hire in accordance with the faith that their school professes to hold.

The majority of parents who send their kids to these schools support that right for teachers to be hired who share the faith based views of the school. Indeed, 86 per cent of all voters support the right of parents to choose a school that reflects their strongly held values and beliefs. That is a strong part of the Australian community and our way of life here. Our pluralistic views, our tolerance and inclusive approach to life and, indeed, our democracy are underpinned by it. I am very concerned about the trajectory of this debate, but I hope that this government deploys some common sense and protects the rights of these schools and the families that send their children to them in accordance with their faith, something we should protect.