Dan Tehan dodges issue of gay teachers’ employment rights

Dan Tehan sidesteps the issue of gay teachers’ employment rights, despite pleas from top Anglican schools to protect their “ethos”.

Dan Tehan has dodged the question of gay teachers’ rights. Picture: AAP.

Education Minister Dan Tehan has sidestepped the issue of gay teachers’ employment rights, despite pleas today from the nation’s top Anglican schools to protect their “ethos and values”.

The Australian revealed today a letter signed by the heads of the 34 Sydney Anglican diocese schools has been sent to all MPs, ­including Scott Morrison and Bill Shorten, which argues for the protection of religious freedoms.

But Mr Tehan said this morning any decisions on anti-discrimination laws would be made by Attorney-General Christian Porter, not him.

“What my view is that the Attorney-General is looking at this very carefully. There is a balance here ... we do have to protect religious freedom,” he said.

“At the same time we got to get the balance right on so when it comes to discrimination based on gender, based on sexual orientation.”

But when it comes to controversial university research grants, Mr Tehan said “his neck was on the line”.

The Education Minister’s proposal to allow ministers to send back grants approved by the Australian Research Council if they do not meet the “national interest” has been controversial.

Mr Tehan said this morning that a change in the grants process would hold “democratically elected governments” more responsible.

“If there was a problem with a grant, as the minister, I’ll ultimately be held responsible, it’ll be my neck on the line,” he told ABC radio.

“At the end, we want our ministers held responsible for the decisions we’re making ... If it’s at arm’s length with the ARC it means I’m still held responsible but I have no bearing on what’s approved or not.

“I’m just wondering, in the end, why we want to have democratically elected governments? We do we put ministers in (positions) of responsibility?”