Professor Kerryn Phelps has called on Prime Minister Scott Morrison to release the Ruddock Review into religious freedom ahead of the Wentworth by-election.
The Prime Minister has spoken often about his belief that new legislation needs to be introduced to protect freedom of speech and freedom of religion but he has declined to provide any significant detail about what is government has planned. A review conducted by former Attorney General Philip Ruddock remains unreleased, despite it being delivered to the government months ago.
Professor Phelps, who is running as an independent in the the Wentworth by-election says it’s only fair that the PM release the report and come clean about his intentions for new legislation ahead of polling day.
The by-election was triggered by the resignation of former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Professor Phelps is running against the Liberal candidate, former diplomat Dave Sharma, and Labor’s Tim Murray.
Speaking on The Guardian Australia’s podcast Professor Phelps said “the report is being concealed from the public using cabinet privilege as an excuse”.
“I call on Scott Morrison to release the report before the Wentworth by-election and release his proposed legislation so people in Wentworth know what they are voting for when it comes to those so-called religious freedoms,” Phelps said.
Professor Phelps said the calls for new laws were less about religious freedom and more about watering down existing anti-discrimination protections.
“If somebody on the basis of religion can be given a licence to discriminate and say that’s on the basis of my religion, then we are headed very much down the path of a religious-based rather than a secular government”.
Last week the government rejected a motion from the senate that called for the report to be released. The government’s leader in the senate, Senator Mathias Cormann, said the report had to be kept confidential because it was currently being deliberated by cabinet.
Attorney General Christian Porter suggested that the report might be released at the same time the government introduces legislation to change the laws.
OIP Staff
