Politicians will be back at Parliament House today as the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights begins its public hearings into the government’s Religious Discrimination bill.

In the lead up to the hearings opening, there’s been some musical chairs with who will be sitting on the committee, with Labor swapping out some of their members for alternatives who are seen as having a bit more gravitas.

The committee is chaired by Nationals MP Dr Anne Webster who has declared that the scope of the inquiry will be kept quite narrow and only focus specifically on the Religious Discrimination legislation.

Representing Labor will be Graham Perrett, who is the Deputy Chair, alongside Steve Georganas, Deborah O’Neil and Louise Pratt. The Liberals will WA MPs Ian Goodenough and Celia Hammond, alongside Andrew McLachlan and Ben Small. While The Greens’ Senator Janet Rice is the sole member of the cross-bench on the committee.

The sessions will kick off at 5.45am Perth time and appearing on the first day of hearings is Council of Ageing, Christian Schools Australia, Australian Association of Christian Schools, and the Australian Christian Higher Education Alliance. Plus the Australian Christian Lobby, Muslim Women Australia, Australian National Imams Council, Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, plus representatives from the Australian Discrimination Law Experts Groups and academics Professor Nicholas Aroney, and Associate Professor Mark Fowler.

In the afternoon they’ll be representations from the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, National Catholic Education Commission, Equality Australia, Equal Voices, Family Voices Australia and the Human Rights Law Alliance.

Graeme Watson

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