The Human Rights Law Centre has described the Morrison government’s decision to delay debate on a bill that would have brought in protections for LGBTIQ students attending religious schools as “outrageous”.

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Anna Brown, Co-Chair of the Equality Campaign and Director of Legal Advocacy at the Human Rights Law Centre, said the delay by the Australian Parliament is a blow to students and their parents seeking certainty ahead of the new year.

“It’s outrageous that our Government is stalling on this important vote. Parents and children deserve certainty for the new year. No kid should be feeling scared to walk through the school gates just because of who they are. Today’s delay is a slap in the face to LGBTQ kids and their families,” Brown said.

“Today, the Australian Parliament had the opportunity to do the right thing. Instead they chose not to protect Australian kids. By voting to block the bill, they have voted to continue discrimination against LGBTQ students.”

Brown said that the parliament ignored a clear pathway to allow schools to protect LGBTQ students from discrimination.

“The Prime Minister made a clear promise in October, before the Wentworth election, to remove these outdated and discriminatory laws which allow schools to discriminate against students. There is a bipartisan commitment to protect students from being expelled because of who they are. Yet this important change is being put off for months,” Brown said.

The bill was due to be voted on one year after the Australian Parliament passed marriage equality.

“It has been less than a year since the Australian Parliament voted for marriage equality. Australians are entitled to ask whether the Government has learned from the lessons of the postal survey, by causing further delays for equality for LGBTQ students in schools,” Brown said.

The government’s leader in the senate, Mathias Cormann told parliament that the government remained committed to bringing in protections but needed to ensure that sufficient protections were also put in place for religious freedoms.

The government teamed with the Centre Alliance to delay the debate after the smaller party expressed concern about a lack of debate and examination about the bill.

OIP Staff