Bid to overturn NSW Anti-Discrimination exemptions
Published: 07 July 2013
130708 News A Greenwich
Some faith-based schools in NSW, including Catholic schools, are opposing a bid to overturn exemptions to the Anti-Discrimination Act that allow them to exclude gay students.
Independent Sydney MP Alex Greenwich will soon introduce a private member's bill to State Parliament to abolish the law, which he says could be used against highly vulnerable teenagers, the
Sydney Morning Herald.
'It is already so hard to come to grips with your sexuality,' said Mr Greenwich, who is gay.
'If students do reach out to a teacher they believe is supportive or a headmaster or counsellor or school chaplain, they could risk expulsion from a school.'
Under the NSW Anti-Discrimination Act, it is unlawful for education authorities to refuse admission to, or expel, a student for being gay, lesbian or transgender, the Sun-Herald says, but private schools and colleges are explicitly exempt from this law.
Ian Baker, acting executive director of the NSW Catholic Education Commission, told the paper that the fact that so few, if any, cases of students being expelled were widely known was testament to the fact schools tended to treat such students with sensitivity.
'It speaks for itself,' he said. 'It's exercised with great caution and consideration. The objective is not to punish, but to protect the rights of those families who send their child to a school based on a religious faith.
'We couldn't agree to the exemptions being removed unless we could be assured that there's an alternative way of guaranteeing freedom of religion, which is an internationally recognised human right.'
FULL STORY
Schools defend right to expel gays
And from the gay newspaper the Sydney Star observer (better to read here rather than go there and see advertisements with men fornicating)
Meet your Greens
By Andrew M Potts on September 21, 2010
There are now two new Greens in NSW’s Legislative Council.
Lawyer David Shoebridge has replaced long-serving Greens MLC Sylvia Hale, who resigned this month. Cate Faehrmann, a former head of the Nature Conservation Council, now holds the spot vacated by Lee Rhiannon when she retired to stand for the Senate at the federal election.
Shoebridge told Sydney Star Observer he had been given the portfolios of climate change, planning, local government, police, firearms, juvenile justice and Attorney General — including anti-discrimination law, which he said was an issue close to his heart.
“In my bar practice I did a fair amount of discrimination work, particularly for transgendered clients. That’s an area I’d like to see more protections in,” he said.
“A discrimination act, without exemptions for religious schools, religious organisations or otherwise, is a key plank of Greens policy and I’d love to see a bill of rights for NSW.”
Shoebridge said the new MLCs would work to set the tone for the March state election.
“We want the Greens to be part of a growing voice that instils some new confidence in what we can do as a Government. We’re offering a lot of positives for the people of NSW — the roll-out of publicly-owned renewable energy, protecting the rights of minorities, promoting a civil society and giving everyone an equal say.”
Shoebridge said the Greens were expecting a record result in the Legislative Council in March and were confident of breaking into the Lower House as well.
Faehrmann, who takes the portfolios of transport, infrastructure and communities — including GLBTI communities — told Sydney Star Observer she was disappointed she’d not joined Parliament before debate on the same-sex adoption bill.
“I wish I’d been in Parliament a week sooner, but Ian Cohen and John Kaye ably gave their views,” Faehrmann said.
“It’s disappointing that we’re still making concessions for religious groups to continue to discriminate on the basis of sexuality.”
However, she said the Greens understood that exemptions for religious adoption agencies had been necessary for the bill to get through Parliament.
Faehrmann said a priority for her was Government action on homophobic violence, an issue she’s already raised with Premier Kristina Keneally.
“We’re still seeing unacceptable levels of violence and discrimination in the broader community,” Faehrmann said.
“The levels of violence experienced by LGBTI youth at schools is extreme compared to their heterosexual peers.
“I mentioned this in my first meeting with the premier. She wanted to know our priorities and I said this is something I have not seen Government seriously addressing.”