Election 2025: Religious groups demand answers for next term

Jewish, Islamic and Anglican faith leaders have written to Anthony Albanese reminding him of his promise that religious protections for faith groups would ‘not go backwards’ under his prime ministership.

Sarah Ison

Bishop of South Sydney Michael Stead speaks at a press conference about the Equality Legislation Amendment (LGBTIQA+) Bill. Picture: Damian Shaw/NewsWire

2 min read

8:30PMApril 07, 2025

Jewish, Islamic and Anglican faith leaders have written to Anthony Albanese reminding him of his promise that religious protections for faith groups would “not go backwards” under his prime ministership, and urged for clarity on whether a re-elected Labor government would introduce a Religious Discrimination Bill and amendments to the Sex Discrimination Act.

As the government seeks to defuse tensions with the Jewish community across the country and Muslim constituents in key western Sydney seats, a letter sent to Mr Albanese last month demanded answers on Labor’s plans for religious freedom in order to “better inform the choices” of voters from various faith groups when they go to the polling booth on May 3.

“During a meeting with key faith leaders on 12 April, 2024, the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, made the commitment to those present that religious protections for faith groups ‘will not go backwards while I’m Prime Minister of Australia’,” the letter, seen by The Australian, reads.

“Will the Prime Minister and his government reaffirm this commitment to the Australian people as a key part of their policy platform, should they be returned to government in 2025?”

Mr Albanese last year shied from introducing his religious discrimination bill, declaring he would not do so without the Coalition pledging its support.

He said he would not proceed with the debate out of fear of “any divisive debate relating to religion”, refusing to even release his draft legislation.

It followed concerns from religious groups over the Australian Law Reform Commission’s recommendations for laws allowing schools to hire staff based on religious grounds to be scrapped.

Anthony Albanese on the campaign trail in Queensland. He is being pressured to commit to upholding religious freedoms should he be re-elected on May 3. Picture: Jason Edwards / NewsWire

While LGBTQ groups lobbied for greater protections for gay and transgender staff and students, religious groups pressured Labor to honour its pre-2022 election commitment that faith-based schools would be able to employ staff who supported their religious ethos.

In the letter signed by more than 20 groups – including the Anglican Bishop of South Sydney, the Australian National Imams Council and the Australian Jewish Association – Labor was urged to clarify if the rights of religious individuals, institutions and schools would “be protected”.

“Will the Labor government … commit to a parliamentary inquiry into how Australia’s human rights obligations are not being met and how those freedoms are being eroded?” the letter reads.

Labor was also asked to clarify how it would progress religious freedom, if at all, in a minority government.

“Various minority parties and independents have committed to positions that are antithetical to the maintenance of religious freedom in this country,” the letter reads. “Will the commitments offered in reply to the above questions continue to apply if you are in minority government?”

The Australian understands no response to the letter has yet been sent by the government.

A separate letter was also sent to Peter Dutton, declaring the faith groups were “concerned by the lack of any detailed commitments” on religious freedom, which stood in “stark contrast” to the party’s 2019 and 2022 election platforms.

“As part of your election manifesto ‘Priorities of a Dutton Coalition Government’ you have committed to ‘back faith-based education – not attack it – because we believe choosing a school which aligns to one’s faith or values is the right of every Australian family’,” the letter reads.

“While this is a welcome commitment to faith-based schooling, your election manifesto is otherwise silent on the protection you will provide for religious freedom.”