AHISA SUBMISSION

Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee

18 January 2019

Sex Discrimination Amendment (Removing Discrimination Against Students) Bill 2018

AHISA’s submission affirms that the rights of students, teachers and other staff members in schools with a religious affiliation must be recognised and protected. At the same time, the right of schools with a religious affiliation to express and uphold the tenets of their religion must also be recognised and protected.

AHISA argues that addressing these intersecting rights is complex, and requires time for respectful community consultation allied with expert legal opinion if amendments to current legislation or the introduction of new legislation are not to create unintended consequences.

In light of the failure of the major parties in the Australian Parliament to reach consensus on legislative solutions to the issue of how the Sex Discrimination Act can best be amended to protect both the rights of students and religious freedoms, AHISA supports the Australian Government’s proposal to refer Recommendations 1, 5, 6, 7 and 8 of the Religious Freedom Review (‘the Ruddock Review’) for impartial and expert opinion.

Submission to Inquiry into the Sex Discrimination Amendment (Removing Discrimination Against Students) Bill 2018