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Politics Religious Freedom

Labor waters down promised ‘hate speech’ bill

Labor has scrubbed criminal penalties for seriously vilifying minority groups from its upcoming hate crimes bill, just months after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised to introduce stronger measures to protect people from hate speech. Source: The Age.

Religious Freedom

Queensland religious leaders sound alarm over harassment laws

A coalition of Queensland’s religious leaders says the Miles Government’s proposed overhaul of workplace sexual harassment laws could force faith-based institutions to teach against their beliefs on sexuality and gender. Source: The Australian.

Leadership Religious Freedom

Study shows people want leaders who will stand up for religious beliefs

People around the globe favour leaders who stand up for their constituents with religious beliefs, even if the beliefs are not their own, a new Pew Research Centre survey shows. Source: NCR Online.

Europe Religious Freedom

Watchdog reports alarming rise in Christian persecution in Europe

A European watchdog has warned of serious anti-Christian violence in Europe and called on governments to protect converts from Islam in particular. Source: CNA.

Opinion Religious Freedom

Take politics out of religious discrimination reform

With Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirming he will not follow through on his election commitment to introduce a religious discrimination bill, is the reform effort to die with a whimper, asks Mark Fowler. Source: The Australian.

Religious Freedom

US Catholic scholar focuses on religious freedoms in Tim Fischer Oration 

Religious freedoms were the focus of the second Tim Fischer Oration, with Helen Alvaré warning that society faces a threat “way worse than ignorance or mean-spiritedness – a seeming rejection of reason itself”. Source: Catholic Voice.

Central America Religious Freedom

Nicaraguan government extinguishes legal status of religious orders

The Nicaraguan Government has extinguished the legal status of more than 25 Catholic organisations, including religious orders, another diocesan Caritas chapter and lay Catholic groups, as part of an attack on civil society with the closure of 1500 nongovernmental organisations. Source: OSV News.

Religious Freedom

Broken election promise sparks community anger 

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has angered both equality advocates and faith groups after abandoning his election promise to introduce religious discrimination reforms and protect LGBTQ students and teachers in a bid to avoid a culture war. Source: Sydney Morning Herald.

New South Wales Religious Freedom

Faith leaders welcome further delay to parliamentary debate on ‘Equality Bill’

Opponents of independent Sydney MP Alex Greenwich’s “Equality Bill” have welcomed a further delay to debate but say they will continue to push hard to have it rejected altogether from the New South Wales Parliament. Source: The Catholic Weekly.