NSW government rejects bill to ban ‘gender fluidity’ teaching as Latham prepares to amend legislation
Dominic Perrottet’s cabinet has resolved to block a bill which would have banned the teaching of “gender fluidity” in schools despite some ministers speaking in favour of the bill. Vote in our poll.
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The state government has rejected a bill which would have banned the teaching of “gender fluidity,” despite a split in cabinet over the issue.
It can be revealed that in a Monday meeting, Government ministers resolved to oppose a parliamentary committee’s report into One Nation MP Mark Latham’s “Parental Rights” bill, with the cabinet leak exposing divisions in the government over the issue.
However any further Coalition flashpoints are set to be avoided with Mr Latham now planning to let the bill lapse and introduce new legislation which avoids the “gender fluidity” teaching ban.
Mr Latham’s legislation would have amended the Education Act to ensure school teaching on “core values” is “strictly non-ideological”.
It would “ensure that all school staff … do not teach gender fluidity,” the bill’s explanatory note said.
The Daily Telegraph understands that Industrial Relations Minister Damien Tudehope, from the Liberal party’s hard right faction had argued in favour of the bill.
However, Mr Tudehope was effectively rolled in cabinet, with other ministers arguing the government should oppose parts of Mr Latham’s legislation.
Speaking anonymously, a number of Coalition MPs expressed their support for the original legislation, indicating that if Premier Dominic Perrottet proposed that the party room oppose it, it could have led to further Coalition infighting.
However Mr Latham has scrapped plans to proceed with his original legislation following the parliamentary inquiry. He will introduce new legislation which would not ban the teaching of “gender fluidity”.
Instead, he plans to strengthen the “parental rights” component of his legislation, in part by allowing parents to take children out of class on the basis of opposing “political and ideological dogma,” not just on the basis of religious objection.
“The current bill will lapse and next week I’ll give notice of a new bill which reflects the committee’s recommendations,” Mr Latham said.
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