Equality advocates have repeated their calls for the Labor party to adopt a policy of scrapping existing legal exemptions that allow LGBTI people to be sacked or refused service by faith-based schools, hospitals and charities.
The call comes after Deputy Labor leader, Tanya Plibersek (pictured), defended such exemptions saying “we’re not proposing to change any of the current exemptions for Catholic schools…we think the balance is about right”.
Spokesperson for just.equal, Brian Greig, said the Federal Labor party has “thrown LGBTI people under the wedding bus”, only weeks after dancing in parliament and waving rainbow flags to celebrate marriage equality.
“The callous state laws around Australia which privilege faith-based schools with special exemptions are used almost exclusively to target LGBTI staff and students.”
“These laws were created decades ago when homosexuality was still deeply stigmatised and have no place in today’s Australia.”
Greig said it was wrong for Tanya Plibersek to say that “…most Catholic schools are very thoughtful about keeping the very best staff, I don’t expect to see a spate of people sacked because of their sexuality.”
“Only in recent weeks a Perth church school dumped a teacher for being gay, while Catholic bishops have it made clear that married LGBTI employee in the Catholic education system will not be welcome,” Greig said.
“We now have the extraordinary situation whereby LGBTI people can legally marry under Federal law, and the next day be sacked under State law – because of the Commonwealth’s failure to protect the human rights of LGBTI people at a national level,” Greig said.
Currently Tasmania is the only state in Australia which offers protections to teachers employed by religious organisations. Greig said it was inexcusable for Federal Labor to maintain anti-LGBTI laws on the mainland, but oppose them in Tasmania.
“In Britain, no church school which accepts government funding can discriminate like this, it must adhere to the UK Human Rights Act or forfeit any taxpayer money.”
“Just.equal is calling on the Labor Party to adopt the same position; there should be no public funding for private prejudice.” Greig said.
OIP Staff
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