Morrison singles out SA in bid for federal religious freedom laws

Scott Morrison says South Australia’s anti-discrimination laws show why his controversial national religious freedom Bill is needed.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has singled out South Australia and New South Wales as two states that are in desperate need of protection against religious discrimination.

While personally introducing the contentious Religious Discrimination Bill in the lower house on Thursday morning, Mr Morrison said there were significant gaps in the two states’ current legislation.

“In particular, there is a gap in NSW and SA, where there is either limited or no specific protection at all against religious discrimination,” he said.

PM Scott Morrison said SA and NSW had either “very limited or no” protections against religious discrimination. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

“This Bill will provide, for the first time protections for those of faith and religion at the Commonwealth level, and in the states of NSW and SA, where there is currently no state-based religious discrimination laws.”

Specific protections under SA law only relate to religious dress and adornments. There are no state laws explicitly prohibiting discrimination based on religious belief or practice.

Mr Morrison’s Bill allows room for schools to refuse to hire gay teachers, which is already allowed under SA legislation in certain cases.

South Australian LGBTIQA+ leaders have raised concerns the Bill would hinder workplace inclusivity.

“We are deeply concerned by the impacts of this Bill upon our community, particularly those who identify both as LGBTIQA+ and as a person of faith,” Kelly Vincent, the head of the Rainbow Alliance, said.

Rainbow Alliance head Kelly Vincent. Picture: Keryn Stevens

Ms Vincent, a former state MP, claimed the Bill would make it “more difficult” for workplaces and schools to foster inclusive cultures, as she claimed it would allow a boss to tell a worker their sexual orientation was “sinful”.

“Similarly, the Bill would also protect a GP who posts voluminous amounts of social media comments that breach professional standards,” Ms Vincent said.

Mr Morrison said the Bill would ensure people could not be persecuted for “moderately expressing a reasonable belief”.

“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,” he said.

Catholic Archdiocese of Adelaide Archbishop Patrick O’Regan said the church “agreed in principle with the draft Bill”.

Mr Morrison assured parliament the Bill would not allow “any form of discrimination” against school students on the basis of their sexuality of gender identity.

“Such discrimination has no place in our education system,” he said.

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