Christian schools push for local MP to support Religious Discrimination Bill

Christian schools “feel let down” by “the lack of progress” on the religious discrimination bill which has been shelved until after the elections. They are now calling on local politicians for support.

A principal of a Christian school in Sydney’s west is fighting to protect the future of the Christian education model.

The Religious Discrimination Bill was recently shelved until after the May election after five MPs crossed the floor in an attempt to amend the bill for protections for LGBTQI students.

However, the Australian Association of Christian Schools (AACS) and its members are calling for bipartisan commitment to the unamended version of the bill because they say they need religious freedom to continue to ‘genuine Christian education’.

The bill would make it unlawful to discriminate on the basis of religious belief or activity in areas of public life, such as work, education, accommodation, services and facilities which allows schools to voice their opinions freely based on their religious stance.

Kuyper Christian School principal Ian Shaw said religious freedom was a human right.

“Our schools must be able to teach in accordance with their religious beliefs for there to be true religious freedom,” he said.

Kuyper Christian School Principal, Ian Shaw.

With three AACS schools situated in the Macquarie electorate, Mr Shaw is calling on Macquarie federal MP Susan Templeman to take a stance on the controversial bill.

“We need the support of our local MP to ensure the Christian education model can be viable into the future,” he said.

Mr Shaw said Christian schools had been mischaracterized in public discussion and felt unsupported by the amendments and the drawn-out process of the bill.

“Our desire is to care for all students who enrol in our school,” Mr Shaw said.

“Simply, this bill allows us to do what we are fundamentally here to do and that’s provide quality, Christian education.”

Members of the Australian Association of Christian Schools (AACS), of which there are more than 100, are calling on local MPs to commit to supporting religious freedoms as the federal election gains pace.

AACS government relations adviser Dylan Turner said Christian schools teach the Australian curriculum from a Biblical perspective, therefore their staff must have genuine Christian faith.

“AACS was extremely disappointed that the Religious Discrimination Bill did not progress through the Senate, despite passing the House of Representatives with near unanimous support from both major parties,” he said.

“The bill’s passage was recommended by two parliamentary inquiries and was a key election commitment by the Morrison Government in 2019, the Christian community feels let down by the lack of progress on the matter.”

AACS government relations adviser, Dylan Turner.

With the election fast approaching, Mr Turner hoped to see local politicians take a stance.

“As the federal election campaign ramps up, we are calling on both parties for ongoing support to protect religious freedom in federal discrimination law,” he said.

“We are yet to hear of Labor’s commitment to this bill post-election and are urging local MPs to stand up and voice their stance so that their constituents of faith know whether they have the support of their community representative.

“Australians should have the right to believe and worship without fear of discrimination.”

NewsLocal reached out to Macquarie MP Susan Templeman for comment but did not receive a response.