Legislating protections for LGBTI Australians against discrimination is an important step but remaining exceptions for religious organisations are a disappointing failing of the Labor Party, the Australian Greens said.
“Gay and lesbian Australians deserve to be protected from discrimination across the board but today the Labor have shown they don’t have the conviction to deliver that,” the Greens’ LGBTI spokesperson, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.
“While it is good that the Sex Discrimination Act will be amended to include protections for LGBTI Australians it is unacceptable that exceptions remain allowing religious organisations, including those that receive government funding, to discriminate.
“If an organisation is getting public money they shouldn't be given exemptions to discriminate against someone just because they're gay.
“Because of Labor’s lack of conviction we have an unacceptable situation where certain groups can discriminate against LGBTI Australians in certain circumstances.
“Reforming the Sex Discrimination Act to protect LGBTI Australians is an important step, but it does little to tackle some of the largest organisations in the country who are still free to discriminate at will.”
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