Hundreds attend discrimination law rally at Tyndale Christian School

Hundreds of people attended a rally at a Christian college in Adelaide’s north to protest proposed changes to discrimination laws for faith-based schools.

Hundreds of people rallied at Tyndale Christian School in Salisbury East on Wednesday night, in opposition to proposed changes to discrimination laws for faith-based schools.

Organisers say the event is in direct response to a recent report by the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) which would make it harder for faith-based schools to discriminate against applicants whose beliefs were at odds with the school’s religious values.

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Associated Christian Schools executive director for public policy and advocacy, Alistair Macpherson, said the proposed legal changes were an attack on parents and their ability to choose the values they wished to instil in their children.

Associated Christian Schools executive director Alistair Macpherson. Picture: Supplied

“It’s an attack on the right of parents to choose a school that accords with the beliefs and ethics of that particular parent,” he said.

“The reality is that our parents are largely choosing to come to our schools because of the education that our schools give to students and because of the values that our schools embrace and seek to teach.”

Mr Macpherson said that their concerns were aimed solely at a school’s ability to choose staff and was not applicable to students.

Evanston Gardens mum Tegan Mitchell, whose 13-year-old son attends Tyndale, was among those at the rally on Wednesday.

“I don’t necessarily agree with the kinds of things that go on in public schools and I’d like to let him grow up in our own faith,” she said.

Modbury Heights mum Erin, who has two daughters at Tyndale, said: “There are children of other faiths (at Tyndale) and we find that it’s a way of being able to give our children some world experience, but with the safety net of knowing that all of the staff here at Tyndale share the same faith as we do. And that’s what we think is important because in other sectors, there are differences in what’s taught.”

While the ALRC report was delivered back in December 2023, it has recently been tabled in federal parliament, the opposition having had the government’s draft legislation since March 2024.

Asked during a press conference on Tuesday whether the reforms were dead, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said “the Coalition has received a copy of the draft legislation and we await a response”.

A spokesman from the Attorney-General’s Department added “no Australian should be discriminated against because of who they are or what they believe”.

“The government is seeking an enduring solution that strengthens protections for students, teachers and people of faith. And that’s why we’ve consistently said bipartisan support is essential.”

But shadow Attorney-General Michaelia Cash said faith groups had given the government feedback, calling the draft legislation “inadequate”.