Australian Polity, Volume 10 Number 1 & 2

Nor a Muslim employee who keeps that prayer mat in
the bottom drawer at their desk at work. Nor a Hindu
couple who are seeking to rent a property. Nor a Jewish
school seeking to employ someone of their faith - if that
faith is their preference - and the publicly stated policy
of their school.
This bill ensures people can’t be persecuted for moderately
expressing a reasonable belief, what could be fairer than
that - whether that belief is motivated by - or indeed,
critical of - a religion. It recognises the unique ways in
which those of faith express their beliefs and ensures
that good faith statements of that belief are appropriately
protected, for both religious and non-religious views.
However, the bill draws a clear line against harassment,
vilification or intimidation of anyone. Religious faith should
always be expressed in love. The bill is about creating
a bigger space for everyone in our national lives - to be
themselves - who they believe, what they believe - free
of discrimination, coercion and judgment. That is our
Australian way, and always has been so.
The bill recognises that religious bodies, religious
schools must be free to uphold the tenets of their faith
and the ethos that makes their school a community. It
is recognition of the sacrifices parents make to educate
their children in accordance with their values and beliefs,
and the choices they have made for their children’s
education. As many schools have said throughout this
process, “faith is caught, not taught”.
The bill protects the fundamental right for religious schools
to hire religious staff to maintain their religious ethos, in
accordance with a publicly available policy. This protection
will be able to override state or territory laws which seek
to interfere with that right. The approach detailed in this
bill provides certainty to school communities and to the
staff they employ through the development of policies
that are transparent to the school community. It’s only fair.
Nothing in this bill, allows for any form of discrimination
against a student on the basis of their sexuality or gender
identity. You won’t find it, anything of that nature in this
bill. Such discrimination has no place in our education
system.
The protections in this bill affirm the generous, openhearted
and accepted culture that is embodied in so much of our
national life. However, we believe it is important that what
has been treated as a culturally accepted norm should
be better codified in law. Sadly, every age faces its share
of bigotry against people of faith. The Treasurer and
his colleagues sadly know too much about this in their
own personal lives, and in their own communities. And
I particularly acknowledge all those of the Jewish faith.
It is a great shame that the Treasurer of our country has
to be offered close personal protection - not because
he’s the Treasurer, but because he’s a Jew.
The values of ‘tolerance’ and ‘diversity’ have been
appropriated against Protestant Christians, Orthodox
Christians, Catholics, Mormons, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists,
Hindus, Baha’is, Sikhs, and so many more religions.
Discrimination against people of faith is not a new thing. It
is ancient. The sectarian divide that dominated almost the
first two centuries of European settlement in Australia is
testament to that - Catholics and Protestants. Thankfully
now a thing of the past, and we worship freely together,
and openly. Equally, that sectarian divide is a reminder
that people of faith too have a responsibility to treat
others as they themselves seek to be treated - another
great principle and teaching of faith. Still, many people
from various religious traditions are concerned about
the lack of religious protection against the prevalence of
‘cancel culture’ in Australian life. It’s true, it’s there, it’s real.
The citizens of liberal democracies should never be
fearful about what they believe, the lives they lead, or
the God they follow, if indeed, they choose to follow
one or acknowledge one at all. Australians shouldn’t
have to worry about looking over their shoulder, fearful
of offending an anonymous person on Twitter, cowardly
sitting there abusing and harassing them for their faith or
transgressing against political or social zeitgeists. We have
to veer away from the artificial, phoney conflicts, boycotts,
controversies and cancelling created by anonymous and
cowardly bots, bigots and bullies.
In our secular society, every religion and belief should
have the same rights and freedoms. It’s what freedom is.
That means the faith of any religion, as well as ‘no religion’,
should not override the rights of others in a free society.
That means we rightly have a secular democracy and
government, but that does not afford secular humanism
42 Australian Polity