Alastair Lawrie

@alastairlawrie

Director, Policy & Advocacy at the Justice and Equity Centre. LGBTIQ+ advocate and writer: Views own. He/him. Living on Dharawal land (Wollongong).

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Alastair Lawrie@alastairlawrie· 22d

I mean, anyone who paid any attention *at all* to the royal commission into institutional abuse - both the rampant abuse itself, and especially the cover-up - doesn't find it especially difficult to get their heads around this, Bevan...

‘Christians obviously don’t like lying’
By Bevan Shields

One of the things some following the inquiry have struggled to get their heads around is how a group of men so committed to Christian beliefs could also allegedly lie and deceive over such a long period while building up the so-called Reformers.
An interesting exchange just took place in the ICAC during a discussion about how members were recruited to various branches.
“Christians obviously don’t like lying. No one does. No one should,” Assaf told counsel assisting Dr Peggy Dwyer. “So you can’t just be a full sneaky person trying to infiltrate a left-wing branch. But there was a strategy to it, and some people needed to be more comfortable with that than others.”
Assaf spent a year in the Catholic seminary before obtaining a teaching degree at Notre Dame University in 2019.

Alastair Lawrie@alastairlawrie· Jul 1

We at the Justice and Equity Centre have welcomed this legislation, and hope that there can be multi-partisan support for its much-needed provisions. Here is our media release: jec.org.au/focus-areas/... #auslaw #auspol 3/

Comments from Alastair Lawrie, JEC Director of Policy and Advocacy and anti-discrimination expert

‘Discrimination and hate speech against LGBTIQA+ Australians continues to rise, but there is currently no stand-alone Commissioner with responsibility for fighting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or innate variations of sex characteristics. This is a significant gap in Australia’s anti-discrimination framework, leaving the community without adequate protection.’

‘The Justice and Equity Centre supports the creation of a dedicated position within the Australian Human Rights Commission to focus squarely on countering discrimination against LGBTIQA+ people.’

‘In 2022, the Albanese Government committed to modernising protections for people born with variations of sex characteristics. So far, they have failed to do this. This Bill addresses the issue by replacing the out-dated terminology of ‘intersex status’ with the more-inclusive protected attribute of innate variations of sex characteristics. We hope the Australian Government will support this attempt to bring the Sex Discrimination Act into line with the majority of state and territory anti-discrimination laws.’

Alastair Lawrie@alastairlawrie· Jun 21

Great to see. #auspol

Women’s groups come out in opposition to push for Sex Discrimination Act change

A coalition of women’s organisations, feminists and community groups have voiced opposition to a push by the Coalition to change the Sex Discrimination Act, in part to create legal definitions around women and men.

Nationals MP Alison Penfold has introduced a private members’ bill to parliament which seeks to restore sex-based language to the act and add definitions described as “biological and binary”.

Penfold’s plan has the support of senior Coalition figures including National’s leader Matt Canavan and Liberal leader Angus Taylor.

But on Sunday, a group of 20 organisations, including the National Foundation for Australian Women, the Women’s Electoral Lobby, Women’s Legal Services Australia and Working with Women Alliance issued a statement opposing the plan.

“For generations, feminists have been fighting for recognition of the complexity of our lives,” Sally Moyle, chair of the National Foundation for Australian Women, said.

This bill strikes at the core of gender equality by narrowly defining women. It risks taking us back to a time when an idealised definition of ‘the woman’ only allowed us to be caregivers defined by our reproductive function, who should not own property and were not suited to leadership, capable of rational thought or physically strong.

Alastair Lawrie@alastairlawrie· Jun 4

Fair Work Commissioner Jennifer Hunt was formally counselled by then tribunal president Iain Ross for using a homophobic slur at a function with young staff, following a complaint about her conduct.

The Australian can reveal that Ms Hunt was counselled by Justice Ross over the incident that occurred at a commission function in 2021.

Ms Hunt referred to a former male politician as a “faggot”, prompting objections from staff present.

Alastair Lawrie@alastairlawrie· May 25

The Taylor Opposition has officially removed the Albanese Govt's excuse for not protecting LGBTQ+ students & teachers in religious schools against discrimination. Albanese has said he will not introduce SDA reforms without bipartisan support. The Opposition has confirmed they will never agree. 1/2

Unveiling the Coalition’s private schooling policy, Opposition education spokesman Julian Leeser will defend the right of religious schools to discriminate on the grounds of religious belief.

Criticising Labor and the Greens for “consistently attacking religious freedom and religious schools’’, Mr Leeser will back legal rights for private schools to hire and fire teachers and enrol students based on religious doctrine.

“Unlike Labor we will never indulge the fantasies of the Law Reform Commission who wanted to attack your very identity as Christian schools,’’ he will say in his speech to Christian Schools Australia on Monday night.

“We believe in parental choice, institutional autonomy, freedom of religion, and that schools with a faith mission should be able to remain genuinely faithful to that mission.

“Religious freedom … is about allowing schools not just to teach but to model the doctrines of their faith, without the threat of litigation. Religious schools want to educate, not litigate.’’

Alastair Lawrie@alastairlawrie· Apr 22

The Australian, now inventing new language to avoid even acknowledging the existence of trans people - 'gender-distressed' FFS... #transphobia

The action followed a complaint from a patient – a gender-distressed teenager – after Dr Spencer had raised concerns about the safety of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones and highlighted the lack of evidence for their efficacy.

Alastair Lawrie@alastairlawrie· Mar 17

S93ZAA only applies where a person 'intentionally incites hatred towards another person(s) on the ground of race & (b) would cause a reasonable person who was the target of the incitement of hatred to (i) fear harassment, intimidation or violence, or (ii) fear for the reasonable person's safety.' 2/

A person commits an offence if--
(a) the person, by a public act, intentionally incites hatred towards another person or a group of persons on the ground of race, and
(b) the public act would cause a reasonable person who was the target of the incitement of hatred, or a reasonable person who was a member of a group of persons that was the target of the incitement of hatred, to--
(i) fear harassment, intimidation or violence, or
(ii) fear for the reasonable person's safety.

Alastair Lawrie@alastairlawrie· Mar 17

It's difficult to understand what 'clash of rights' Premier Minns is referring to here, given the high bar that the inciting hatred offence currently includes. #auslaw #nswpol 🧵1/

We haven’t made a decision about it yet. The report’s been to cabinet and I don’t want to release before we make a call. Codifying vilification legislation is really difficult … primarily because it’s a clash of clash of rights, but we’re considering it seriously and looking at the next steps. And I don’t want the report released before we made a decision in relation to it, so it’s not something that we’re brushing under the carpet.

Alastair Lawrie@alastairlawrie· Mar 16

Incredibly disappointing that the NSW Govt has chosen not to expand inciting hatred offences to protect the LGBTIQ+ community, despite the wave of attacks against us. They are even refusing to publicly release the Sackar review of this issue, which they received in Nov last year. #auslaw #nswpol

Tougher penalties and new offence for hate crimes against LGBTQ+ community in NSW
Penry Buckley

The NSW government will today introduce measures it says will toughen penalties and lead to more prosecutions for hate crimes against the LGBTQ+ community.

They include a new offence which responds to a series of attacks revealed by an ABC investigation, some allegedly IS-inspired, in which teenagers lured victims on dating apps before robbing or assaulting them, in some cases filming them.

The offence for procuring a person by making false or misleading representations with the intent of committing a serious assault or robbery will not only apply to offences against the LGBTQ+ community.

Under the changes, existing “post and boast” offences for when criminals share footage of their crimes online will be expanded to cover serious assaults and robberies committed against members of the LGBTQ+ community.

The sentence for threatening or inciting violence on the grounds of a protected attribute such as sexual orientation or gender will be increased from three to five years, but the government has not moved to expand a controversial offence for inciting hatred on the grounds of race to include gender identity or sexuality. The government has been sitting on a six-month review to determine if the laws should be expanded, which was tabled in November.

The NSW premier, Chris Minns, says:

The attacks we have seen targeting members of the LGBTQIA+ community are sickening and completely unacceptable.
These laws send a clear message that if you target someone out of hatred, or try to lure someone into harm, you will face serious consequences.

Alastair Lawrie@alastairlawrie· Mar 15

One of the most disturbing findings of the Resolve poll: One Nation is actually *leading* in NSW. #auspol #nswpol

Graph showing One Nation polling 29% in NSW, ahead of the ALP on 28% and Coalition on 20%.

Alastair Lawrie@alastairlawrie· Mar 9

LGBTQ+ students at religious schools (including Jewish ones) and universities are subject to entirely lawful discrimination under Commonwealth law, and in several states and territories, forcing many into the closet. What an absolutely absurd statement this was... #auslaw #auspol

Dror Liraz – from the University of Sydney’s branch of the Australasian Union of Jewish Students, who was seated in the audience – said Jewish students were “the only group of students in Australia” who were shamed and scared into “hiding who they are”.

Alastair Lawrie@alastairlawrie· Mar 4

From yesterday's Question Time. PM Albanese can't even be bothered any more trying to explain why his Government has abandoned its commitment to protect LGBTQ+ students and teachers in religious schools against discrimination. It seems they are on their own. Permanently. #auslaw #auspol

Alastair Lawrie@alastairlawrie· Feb 25

The Albanese Govt refuses to do the important work, like protecting LGBTQ+ students and teachers in religious schools against discrimination (like they promised to do). So they are left with symbolic announcements, which are nice but not life-changing. #auspol

Sydney Mardi Gras parade route added to National Heritage List

The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade route has been added to the country’s National Heritage List.

The Albanese government moved to add the list after it was nominated by the Heritage Council of NSW in 2024, recognising the route for its centre stage role in the city’s history, including during the marriage equality movement and broader fights for legislative reform.

A press release announcing the news says:

Running through the heart of Sydney, the two kilometre route captures both the history of the original 1978 parade and its role as an enduring cultural event in Australia. The listed site recognises the place where protests in 1978 highlighted the inequality experienced by LGBT people in Australia.
Tanya Plibersek, the member for Sydney, said the listing “acknowledges the pain, violence and discrimination the 78ers fought against, and the celebration of love and diversity at the heart of Mardi Gras every year”.

It’s fantastic to see the Mardi Gras route finally receive the national recognition it deserves.

Alastair Lawrie@alastairlawrie· Feb 23

TERFs are so f---ing tiresome.

A lesbian group is appealing a decision that found it was not able to exclude trans women from its public events.

The Lesbian Action Group, which numbered seven members as of September 2024, had unsuccessfully sought an exemption under the Sex Discrimination Act (SDA) that would allow it to hold events only for cisgender women.

The lesbian feminist group is now appealing a Victorian administrative review tribunal decision that determined the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) was correct when it found the LAG could not hold the events, despite their claim they would provide a forum for political expression and celebrate culture.

In federal court today, the group argued that the tribunal erred on four grounds, one of which was that the SDA should give priority to women as defined in the UN’s Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. The SDA was amended in 2013 to make it unlawful to discriminate against a person on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or intersex status.

In court documents, the AHRC submitted that the appeal should be dismissed with costs and said the tribunal’s decision was not irrational nor unreasonable, and that the SDA does not allow discrimination against a vulnerable class of people.

The hearing continues tomorrow.

Alastair Lawrie@alastairlawrie· Feb 19

So, according to the NSW Government: Too young to ride an e-bike. Still old enough to go to jail. Raise the Age. #RaiseTheAge #auslaw #nswpol

NSW to introduce minimum age to ride an ebike
New South Wales will introduce a minimum age to ride an ebike as part of an effort to improve rider safety, the safety of pedestrians and of the wider community.

The minimum age will be between 12 and 16 and come after an expert review by Transport for NSW. Currently, a child of any age can ride an ebike and riders of any age can carry passengers if the bike’s design allows.

The Minns government said the state would also adopt safety and performance standards similar to those in Europe to ensure ebikes act more like bicycles, an effort to remove “high-powered illegal motorbikes masquerading as ebikes” from the streets.

Any ebike deemed to be against the law will be phased out over a three-year transition period to recognise they were bought legally. From 1 March 2029, only ebikes that meet European standards will be road legal in NSW.

Alastair Lawrie@alastairlawrie· Feb 9

"[D]o you fundamentally achieve public safety by trying to repress protests, by trying to prevent street processions, by creating a legal regime where there’s no independent arbiter or are in fact those things potentially quite dangerous to community safety?" Good questions. #auslaw #nswpol

State MLC questions if repressive protest laws are making community safer

Stephen Lawrence – a NSW MLC and barrister – says he’s also concerned about the fact that civil liability has been “extinguished” under the Major Events Act Declaration.

Known as the public assembly restriction declaration, it gives police the full suite of their move-on powers under the Summary Offences Act for offences such as obstructing traffic.

Lawrence told RN Breakfast in practice, the events of Monday night should be “food for thought” for politicians.

Anyone that was the victim of a civil wrong, so negligence or any sort of other tortious act from the police last night won’t be able to sue the state. That’s a consequence of the Major Events Act Declaration.
But look, this is another event that will be food for thought, I’m sure, for politicians in terms of do you fundamentally achieve public safety by trying to repress protests, by trying to prevent street processions, by creating a legal regime where there’s no independent arbiter or are in fact those things potentially quite dangerous to community safety?

Alastair Lawrie@alastairlawrie· Feb 4

Also great to see NSW Greens LGBTIQA+ spokesperson Dr Amanda Cohn keep pressure on the NSW Minns Labor Govt to take urgent action to address discrimination by religious orgs against LGBTQ+ people, once again including LGBTQ+ students and teachers in religious school.s #auslaw #auspol

I am aware of the Law Reform Commission's review of the Anti-Discrimination Act. The consultation paper was released on 20 May last year. Submissions closed on 15 August. I understand the commission is now preparing a second consultation paper, which will focus on enforcement and other procedural aspects of the Anti-Discrimination Act. That process does not reflect the urgency with which communities are crying out for this reform. Students and teachers are missing out on employment and educational opportunities in this State every day that this reform is delayed. Members of LGBTQIA+ communities have identified this as urgent. The United Nations Human Rights Council has identified that this is important. The Federal Law Reform Commission has found that there is strong public support for removing exemptions to anti-discrimination protection, including among parents and peoples of faith, and that the religious ethos of a school could be maintained without such discriminatory exemptions. I urge the Government to make that an urgent priority.

Alastair Lawrie@alastairlawrie· Feb 4

Great to see Greens LGBTIQA+ spokesperson Senator Nick McKim keeping the pressure up on the Albanese Labor Govt over their failure to act to prohibit discrimination by religious orgs against LGBTQ+ Australians, including students and teachers in religious schools. #auslaw #auspol

Discrimination
Senator McKIM (Tasmania—Australian Greens Whip): Australia's Commonwealth laws still allow
faith based institutions to lawfully discriminate against people, whether they be teachers at schools, patients in
hospitals or people relying on essential services like housing. Let's be clear. Religious belief should not be a licence
to discriminate. When an organisation provides education, health care, housing or crisis support to people, it should
follow the same rules as everyone else. No-one should lose their rights because of the religious belief of the
organisation that runs the service they rely on.
This discrimination, of course, impacts on the LGBTIQA+ Australians in particular. Students and teachers should
feel safe at school no matter who they are. Patients should receive care at hospitals no matter who they are. People
in crisis should never be excluded from support no matter who they are. The Australian Law Reform Commission
has been clear: religious exemptions to antidiscrimination laws undermine human rights and cause real harm, and
this particularly applies to LGBTIQA+ Australians.
The Greens respect freedom of religion. Belief and worship are, and should be, protected. Australians are ready
to move on from outdated carve-outs that allow discrimination on the basis of religion. Labor promised action. This term must be the term when Labor finally delivers. The numbers are there for reform in both chambers of this parliament—if only Labor would act. If Labor refuses to act, the Greens will.

Alastair Lawrie@alastairlawrie· Feb 3

The sentiments expressed by Minns in promoting his new policy are, on their face, unobjectionable. As reported in the quotes below. 7/

But he said the behaviour of teachers who "poison young minds" with hate speech would not be tolerated.

"If your child is going to be sent to any school in the state, that there'll be rigorous rules in place about tipping hatred into their ears, and we don't think this puts an unfair burden on teachers," he said.

Alastair Lawrie@alastairlawrie· Jan 28

If it wasn't so dangerous, it would be almost comical listening to Scott 'religious freedom' Morrison arguing for state intervention in, and requirements for, organised religion. #auspol 1/

Scott Morrison says Imams in Australia need to be accountable, positive and should deliver their teachings in English.

“What I’m proposing is that religious leaders in all faiths have got to take responsibility what’s happening in those faiths now. Their teaching has to be right, it has to be positive, and it has to be in English, so people can see what’s being said, so it’s transparent,” the former prime minister told 2GB this morning.

I believe that good religion is good for society. I believe it helps build community. I think it helps build positive contributions … but in the Islamic faith, you know, we haven’t dealt with this because every time someone talks about it, including those from within Islam the Islamic faith in Australia, they get shouted down.

I expect religious leaders in an open and free society where there’s freedom of religion - freedom comes with responsibility, and you just can’t sort of put out a shingle and say I’m an Imam, or you can’t put out a shingle and say I’m a Catholic priest or or a Baptist minister. There are requirements that you need to follow, and you need to be accountable to leaders in your own faith community.

Alastair Lawrie@alastairlawrie· Jan 20

Disappointing but unsurprising Labor has no interest in protecting other groups against serious vilification - despite their claims to the contrary last week. While their excuse - that it cannot pass them alone - is downright insulting. That's not how parliament works.

Anthony Albanese says the government won’t bring forward additional legislation providing stronger legal protections for religious groups, people with a disability and LGBTQ+ Australians after a lengthy fight over hate speech laws in parliament this week.

But the prime minister said on Wednesday the government would not proceed with additional laws, because Labor did not have the numbers to pass them on its own

Alastair Lawrie@alastairlawrie· Jan 15

The Queensland LNP Govt, happy to deny vital health care to trans kids, even when it goes against the advice of their own independent review. But apparently in no rush to take action on the growing number of guns in the community. #auslaw #qldpol

Queensland yet to commit to gun buyback scheme, health minister says

Queensland’s government hasn’t made its mind up on a federally-led gun buyback scheme proposed in response to the Bondi terror attack, according to the state health minister.

Prime minister Anthony Albanese has asked the states to jointly fund the scheme with the Commonwealth.

Health minister Tim Nicholls said the state police minister and attorney-general have yet to bring a proposal to cabinet:

We do have, here in Queensland some, you know, we have, we have some pretty strict gun laws already in place. Can they be made better? Perhaps. We’ll have that discussion.

Alastair Lawrie@alastairlawrie· Dec 7

The Australian has clearly run out of any actual news to print, instead choosing to revive its horrific anti-trans war. For the record, only fringe 'gay and lesbian' orgs, like the LGB Alliance, have any issue with trans people - for the vast majority of us, trans people are our friends and allies.

The nonsense has gone too far. As Rice reports, gay and lesbian groups, rightly, are objecting, finding that the ongoing erasure of biological sex in law is having a damaging effect on many in the gay community. Governments and companies should also take a firm stand against such ideology.

Alastair Lawrie@alastairlawrie· Dec 7

Hopefully the Queensland LGBTI Legal Service is successful in this new challenge. But the only way all young trans and gender diverse people to have access to vital health care is for the Govt to change their mind - or, if they refuse, for the people to change the Govt. #aushealth #qldpol

Another legal challenge to Queensland’s ban on puberty blockers

Queensland’s LGBTI Legal Service has filed a second challenge to the state’s controversial ban on puberty blockers, on behalf of a client who was denied treatment in the state system.

The government first banned public health services from prescribing puberty blockers to “new patients” in January.

In October, the supreme court ruled the first ban was unlawful, due to a lack of consultation. The government instituted a second ban within hours of it being overturned.

The young person at the centre of the case was deemed a “new patient” under the first ban in January, and subsequently sought treatment for gender dysphoria as a private patient. Private treatments can be significantly more expensive.

After the first ban was overturned, the young person then sought treatment as a public patient, on the grounds they were not a “new patient” because they had begun gender-affirming care before the second ban was implemented. They claim they were refused treatment.

The court challenge seeks an order that anyone who began gender-affirming care before 28 October – when the second ban was instituted – should not be considered a “new patient”.

The mother of the young person said:

The ministerial direction was made with lightning speed but, yet again, was made without input from trans young people and their parents and without consulting anyone with expertise in treating trans young people.

Seven hours wasn’t even long enough for the minister to prepare a direction that was clear and unambiguous, let alone adequately consider all of the issues.
The legal services says it has lodged separate discrimination and human rights cases.

Alastair Lawrie@alastairlawrie· Dec 3

It is extraordinary - and extraordinarily condescending - that the same Albanese Government that regularly breaks its promises to protect LGBTIQ+ rights domestically thinks it is in a position to 'promote' LGBTIQ+ human rights to other countries. #auspol #auslaw 1/

Special Envoy for International Human Rights

Joint media release with:
Anthony Albanese MP, Prime Minister of Australia
28 November 2025
Today we announce the appointment of Hon Mark Dreyfus KC MP as Australia's Special Envoy for International Human Rights.
As Special Envoy, Mr Dreyfus will renew Australia's tradition as a global champion for human rights – a role we have played since we were an original signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.
In particular, Mr Dreyfus will take a special advocacy role for the abolition of the death penalty, as well as for the rights and protections of children, older persons, people living with a disability and LGBTIQ+ individuals – all issues on which Australia has a long record of international leadership.
Mr Dreyfus is one of the most accomplished and widely respected parliamentarians of recent decades. He has served as Attorney-General and Cabinet Secretary in two governments, and before entering parliament was a prominent barrister for twenty years.
His high standing as a parliamentarian means he can work effectively with other parliamentary representatives in our region leading their countries' human rights agendas.
We thank Mr Dreyfus for agreeing to share his wealth of experience and outstanding credentials through this role, in addition to his parliamentary responsibilities.

Alastair Lawrie@alastairlawrie· Nov 13

Always revealing how quickly the PM can condemn antisemitism at neo-Nazi rallies, when he has consistently and studiously avoided condemning the anti-trans nature of the neo-Nazi attendance at Victorian Parliament in March 2023. #auspol

Albanese adds he is ‘concerned’ about neo-Nazi rally outside NSW parliament

The prime minister was asked about the neo-Nazi rally outside NSW parliament last weekend, and reports that members of a group that promotes white supremacist views intend to register as a political party.

Albanese said:

I am concerned about the gathering that was there. I condemn it unequivocally. There’s no place in Australia for the antisemitic display that we saw outside New South Wales parliament house.
The prime minister said the New South Wales government was “responding” to reports of the party registration. He would not comment on any individuals at the rally having their visas reviewed, but said:

I do note that people who come to Australia and then say that they are anti-migrants coming to Australia, I think that speaks for itself.

Alastair Lawrie@alastairlawrie· Oct 29

What's the collective noun for a group of TERFs? #auspol www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/polit...

Earlier on Wednesday, Senator Henderson hosted a cross-party briefing for MPs and parliamentary staff who were addressed by Ms Grover, her lawyer, Katherine Deves, and Greens patriarch Drew Hutton, recently expelled from the party he co-founded for promoting “anti-trans views” on social media.

Alastair Lawrie@alastairlawrie· Oct 14

So, the Albanese Govt's Education Minister wants to do something about bullying. Perhaps he could start by ending the legalised bullying of LGBTQ+ students by religious schools. You know, like they promised in 2022, before walking away from it, and from vulnerable kids. #auspol

Education ministers to consider new national standards to combat bullying
Krishani Dhanji
Krishani Dhanji
Federal, state and territory education ministers will consider a proposal for a new national standard on anti-bullying when they meet on Friday.

The communications minister and eSafety commissioner are also set to brief the ministers ahead of the social media ban taking effect on 10 December.

The government announced the anti-bullying rapid review in February, with co-chairs Dr Charlotte Keating and Professor Jo Robinson to present their findings and recommendations to the meeting.

The education minister, Jason Clare, says the review shows the prominence of bullying in and out of school hours.

Complaints about online bullying to the eSafety commissioner have increased by 450% in the last five years ...
The review reminds us bullying doesn’t stop when the school bell rings any more. Today it can follow you all the way home after school. The internet means that you can be bullied now at any time, day or night, and anyone can see it.

Alastair Lawrie@alastairlawrie· Oct 13

New Cth Shadow Attorney-General Andrew Wallace spoke in Parliament last year against the sensible and straight-forward recommendations of the Australian Law Reform Commission to remove the ability of religious schools to discriminate. #auslaw #auspol 🧵1/

Mr WALLACE (Fisher) (13:30): Like many members in this place, I have spoken with constituents and faith communities who are concerned about the Australian Law Reform Commission's latest inquiry into religious educational institutions and antidiscrimination. The consultation paper essentially recommends a curtailment to the right of faith based schools to hire staff who share their religious ethos. We should be very proud in this place of our secular school system and those teachers and staff who make our schools as great as they are, but faith based schools also deliver a vital service: offering parents the freedom to decide how, and in accordance with which particular faith, their children are taught. Governments should nurture that freedom; they shouldn't curtail it. Society should nourish faith and freedom as a cause for celebration, not condemnation. I would encourage anyone listening to this speech: if you're concerned about these proposals, contact your members, contact senators in your states from across the political aisle, and make your voice heard.

Alastair Lawrie@alastairlawrie· Oct 10

Two good questions from Greens LGBTIQA+ spokesperson Nick McKim at Attorney-General's Dept Estimates on Tuesday. And of course, there are no good answers to either, because the Labor Govt's position on both lacks principle. #auslaw #auspol #estimates 🧵1/3