Please consider my submission in relation to the The Exposure Draft Discrimination Amendment Bill. This bill introduces several breaches to basic human rights, particularly for people of faith and religious institutions. As a Christian, I am concerned that governments, courts and tribunals will potentially determine my right to live according to deeply held religious convictions. In particular – Section 20: This section should NOT be amended. The proposed amendments to this section would prohibit people of faith deciding not to use certain providers of goods and services on the basis of their religious conscience. Section 23A and 33B: These sections should be OMITTED as they unfairly force families with particular religious convictions to allow gender-confused children under 12 to play in sporting teams that do not correspond to their biological sex. This undermines the rights of parents. Section 24: Amendments to this section remove ultimate discretion from people about who will perform services in their family home. It is unacceptable for the State to decide who, and on what basis contractors should enter a person’s home. People must be free to hire contractors according to their religious convictions and beliefs. This section should NOT be amended. Section 32: This section should NOT be amended as it provides religious bodies with freedoms that allow churches, religious schools and other religious bodies to function under the rites and convictions of their particular religious group without interference from the State or secular Courts. It introduces a ‘reasonableness’ test which leaves secular Courts to interpret sacred Scripture and church law. This section could also force religious bodies to use their property against their religious conscience. It prevents religious bodies from denying the use of their premises on any grounds other than religious belief. This removes religious conscience. Thank you for your attention to these very concerning matters.

I am writing to voice my concerns about the proposed changes to the Discrimination Act. Many of the proposed amendments to the Discrimination Act come with severe consequences for religious freedoms. I ask that you modify amendments that impinge on religious freedoms, these include – Section 23A and 33B: These sections should be omitted as they unfairly force families with particular religious convictions to allow gender-confused children under 12 to play in sporting teams that do not correspond to their biological sex. This undermines the rights of parents. Section 32: This section should not be amended as it provides religious bodies with freedoms that allow churches, religious schools and other religious bodies to function under the rites and convictions of their particular religious group without interference from the State or secular Courts. It introduces a ‘reasonableness’ test which leaves secular Courts to interpret sacred Scripture and church law. This section could also force religious bodies to use their property against their religious conscience. It prevents religious bodies from denying the use of their premises on any grounds other than religious belief. This removes religious conscience. Section 20: This section should not be amended. The proposed amendments to this section would prohibit people of faith deciding not to use certain providers of goods and services on the basis of their religious conscience. Section 24: Amendments to this section remove ultimate discretion from people about who will perform services in their family home. It is unacceptable for the State to decide who, and on what basis contractors should enter a person’s home. People must be free to hire contractors according to their religious convictions and beliefs. This section should not be amended. Thank you for making these amendments.