ADVOCATES UNHAPPY WITH PROPOSED RELIGIOUS ANTI-DISCRIMINATION EXEMPTION

TASMANIAN GAY AND LESBIAN RIGHTS GROUP

Media Release
Tuesday November 13th 2012

ADVOCATES UNHAPPY WITH PROPOSED RELIGIOUS ANTI-DISCRIMINATION EXEMPTION BUT SAFEGUARDS WELCOMED
RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS FUNDED BY TAXPAYERS TO PROVIDE CHOICE, NOT LIMIT IT
PREMIER BARTLETT GAVE COMMITMENT NOT TO PROVIDE RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION
PETITION TABLED AGAINST EXEMPTION

Tasmanian gay rights advocates are unhappy with a proposal to allow religious schools to discriminate against students on the grounds of religion but have welcomed safeguards to ensure discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation will continue to be unlawful.

Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group spokesperson, Rodney Croome, said,

“Faith-based schools are funded by the taxpayer to provide parents with a choice of where to send their kids, and any exemption which allows schools to limit that choice is a breach of this basic contract.”
“It is also a breach of the written commitment we were given by then Premier David Bartlett ahead of the 2010 election not to provide any more religious exemptions in the Anti-Discrimination Act.”

“Our concern is that if church schools are given the right to discriminate against students on the grounds of religion they could use this as a cover to discriminate against students on other grounds like their sexual orientation or their parent’s marital status.”

“If there has to be an exemption then the strict conditions that the Government has proposed are welcome because they make it crystal clear that discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and relationship status is still unlawful.”

“But overall we’re against punching a hole in the Anti-Discrimination Act when it has worked so well up until now protecting students from discrimination and creating more inclusive school cultures.”

“Today, a petition signed by over 730 Tasmanians was tabled in the Lower House by Greens’ Leader, Nick McKim, illustrating strong community opposition to the proposed exemption and a strong desire for all Tasmanians to be treated equally.”

For several years the Catholic Church has sought an exemption to allow it to turn away non-Catholic students from schools that are over-subscribed.

In response the Government has framed a narrow exemption which gives the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner the power to grant a religious exemption to faith-based schools but only in enrolment, only if they are over-subscribed and only for the period of the over-subscription.

Furthermore, to obtain an exemption schools must actively demonstrate to the Commissioner they do not discriminate on other grounds including sexual orientation and relationship status.

Some non-Catholic faith-based schools oppose these strict conditions and want a broader exemption.

Ahead of the 2010 state election the Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group asked Premier David Bartlett in writing about a religious schools’ exemption. Here is the Group’s question and the Premier’s reply:

Question: Will your party commit to not providing any more exemptions on the grounds of religion in the Anti-Discrimination Act?
Reply: Labor does not intend to provide any further exemptions under the Act on religious grounds.
Rodney Croome Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group. Australian Marriage Equality