Clerics slam lack of input on laws

Key faith groups says they have not been consulted on religious freedom laws being drafted by the government.

Attorney-General Christian Porter. Picture: Britta Campion

The Morrison government has failed to consult key faith groups on the drafting of its religious freedom bill, despite Scott Morrison’s ambition to take a “co-operative” approach in enshrining the new anti-discrimination laws.

Representatives from the Anglican, Catholic and Islamic faiths have called for the government — which is in the “advanced” stages of preparing the bill — to consult religious groups on the proposed laws.

The Prime Minister yesterday said he was finalising the bill with Attorney-General Christian Porter, amid a growing storm over the Israel Folau saga.

The author of the government’s review into religious freedom, NSW Liberal Party president Philip Ruddock, also said he had not been engaged by the government on the bill.

“I am available if people want to seek my counsel but at the ­moment the Attorney-General is progressing it,” Mr Ruddock said.

“There is a wide cross-section of opinion you would need to consult with once you went down the (legislation) route, I would think.”

Australian National Imams Council spokesman Bilal Rauf said he was surprised the government had not sought feedback.

“Perhaps the government feels that it needs to put it all together before it talks about it, but sometimes it helps to have a collaborative approach to these things and try and have a discussion as a part of formulating what the bill may look like,” Mr Rauf said.

The public affairs director at the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney, Monica Doumit, said the ­diocese had not been consulted on the legislation and she was “not aware that any other diocese has been consulted”.

“While we appreciate and welcome the momentum for the protection of religious freedom at the moment, this is a complex area of law and it is important that proper consultation is undertaken to ­ensure protections for religious freedom are effective,” she said.

Anglican Public Affairs Commission chairwoman Carolyn Tan said there needed to be consultation with religious groups to ­ensure the laws were sufficient.

“The devil is in the detail so that is what we want to see,” she said.

A Uniting Church spokes­woman also said it had not been consulted on the laws.

Mr Porter said yesterday: ­“Before introduction there will be consultations on the bill with a variety of stakeholders, including with religious groups.”

Mr Morrison said there would be a period of consultation on the bill, including with Labor.

“I don’t want to see this become an issue of partisan conflict or more broadly. This is about a foundational, I think, freedom that Australians should enjoy. And I think we should find a very practical and co-operative way forward,” Mr Morrison said.

He said he wanted to ensure Australians could pursue their ­religious view peacefully and not feel intimidated about them.

“People having a sense of discomfort even just expressing their views when it comes to their ­religion,” Mr Morrison said. “And not just the Christian faith, many other faiths as well.”