Election 2022: Scott Morrison refuses to commit to religious freedom laws

Scott Morrison has failed to commit to implementing religious discrimination laws if he is re-elected, undermining his push to gain ground in western Sydney.

Scott Morrison tries to pose with a decidedly unsure assistance dog in the battleground western Sydney electorate of Lindsay on Tuesday. Picture: Jason Edwards

Scott Morrison has failed to commit to implementing religious discrimination laws if he is re-elected, undermining his push to gain ground in culturally diverse electorates in western Sydney.

The Prime Minister would not say whether he would use the next term of parliament to resuscitate legislation that failed to pass in February.

He accused Labor of blocking the passage of his religious discrimination bill – a 2019 election promise – despite some of the measures also being opposed by five moderate Liberal MPs who crossed the floor and sunk the ­proposed reforms.

“I put that legislation into the parliament, and I was hopeful that it would have bipartisan support, but it didn’t,” Mr Morrison said.

“The Labor Party used it as a Trojan Horse to seek to make other changes on other acts. And I found that very disappointing. That bill would have passed had the Labor Party supported it. And the Labor Party didn’t support it.

“My views about protecting people against religious discrimination are well known, and my credibility on those issues are not challenged or under question.

“And I hold those views just as strongly today as I always have throughout my entire life.”

Mr Morrison was forced to shelve the religious freedoms package in February when Liberal MPs Fiona Martin, Trent Zimmerman, Dave Sharma, Katie Allen and Bridget Archer joined with Labor to amend the legislation in a way that was unpalatable to the Prime Minister and conservative Coalition MPs.

Australian Christian Lobby managing director Martyn Iles said it was “quite possible” that Anthony Albanese could now move to outmanoeuvre Mr Morrison by committing clearly during the campaign to his own religious discrimination legislation.

“The level of disillusionment among social conservatives and people of faith concerning the government’s credentials on issues like this is so strong that I had hoped that the government would do something to reassure that constituency or win back their firm support,” he said. “But they seem intent not to. That’s the concern.

“He (Mr Morrison) says that Labor used the bill as a Trojan Horse to make other changes to other acts. But what he hasn’t said is that he offered to make those changes himself in a secret letter written to the Opposition Leader on December 1, 2021. Mr Albanese actually tabled that letter.

“I think people rightly have a question mark over the Prime Minister’s commitment to ­religious freedom and religious discrimination. They have reason to be uncertain. I am uncertain.

“If I’m uncertain then I’m sure voters are as well.”