The long awaited "review into religious freedom" has finally been leaked, four months after being handed to cabinet and almost twelve months after Australia achieved marriage equality.
Fairfax states the report "dismisses the notion religious freedom is in imminent peril" but still proposes amendments to anti-discrimination legislation which specifically targets kids and teachers according to their sexuality or gender identity.
This would actually wind back anti-discrimination laws that have existed in Tasmania for 20 years and reinforce discriminatory exemptions that already exist elsewhere.
Sign our Petition: Protect Our Kids and Teachers
The Ruddock Inquiry has recommended allowing religious schools to discriminate against Australian teachers and students according to their sexuality or gender identity.
We want less discrimination, not more.
We want schools to be safe places for all students and teachers, not breeding grounds for prejudice.
All schools receiving public funding should abide by the same principles of fairness and anti-discrimination as the rest of society.
A recent YouGov poll found 4 out of 5 Australians oppose laws that allow government-funded faith-based schools to expel students or sack teachers because they are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.
In last year's postal survey a majority of Australians voted for equality for their fellow LGBTI Australians.
Please heed that vote by legislating for less discrimination, not more.
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