Religious discrimination legislation a “disgraceful stunt”, says Mid West MP

Member for the Agricultural Region Sandra Carr has slammed the Federal Government’s shelved Religious Discrimination Bill as a “disgraceful political stunt”.

Under the proposed religious discrimination legislation, people would be protected for expressing their religious beliefs and it would override State laws that limit when religious schools can preference hiring people of the same faith.

But it was pulled from the Senate agenda meaning it will not pass before the May election — in breach of Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s 2019 election promise.

The Bill had days earlier won the support of the Coalition party room after a mammoth meeting to try to get it over the line.

The party room agreed to amendments of protecting gay students from expulsion but not for transgender children.

This means the Sex Discrimination Act will be changed to ban faith schools from excluding students because of their sexuality.

Ms Carr — a proud advocate for the Mid West LGBTQIA+ community — said the passage of the legislation through the House of Representatives was a “very sad moment” in Parliament.

She said the Bill was a grab for votes which put “vulnerable” people at risk of harm.

“It was one of the most appalling political stunts I can recall ever happening,” she said.

“I was so horrified . . . just gutted.

“It is time we put the humanity back into politics.”