Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has told Labor colleagues he won’t proceed with changes to discrimination law unless he gains Coalition support. Source: The Age.
Mr Albanese said during a Labor caucus meeting in Parliament House yesterday that he had told Peter Dutton he would only proceed if the Opposition leader could promise bipartisan support for the change.
The sudden move marks a retreat on Labor’s election pledge to update the law to protect the right of religious schools to practise their faith while also shielding teachers and students from discrimination on the basis of their sexuality.
Mr Dutton seized on the Government’s new stance, accusing Mr Albanese of trying to dump the election promise.
Without the changes, religious schools would retain the right under federal law to sack gay teachers and expel transgender students, although some states and territories have blocked them from doing so.
In a separate remark, Melbourne Archbishop Peter A. Comensoli, speaking for the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference said: “After years of contentious debate we hope that the Government and Opposition can agree to discuss religious freedom and to work with faith communities in a non-contentious way to see if a bipartisan agreement can be reached.”
FULL STORY
Albanese’s sudden retreat on religious discrimination sparks Dutton fury (By David Crowe, The Age)
RELATED COVERAGE
Anthony Albanese says no religious freedoms changes without bipartisan support (The Australian)
Albanese requests ‘bipartisan support’ prior to start of religious discrimination bill (Sky News)
Peter Dutton refuses to support religious discrimination law changes without seeing details (The Guardian)
Anthony Albanese accused of lying to faith leaders on religious freedom law election promise (Daily Telegraph)
