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Remember the plebiscite on same-sex marriage back in 2017?
Malcolm Turnbull, then PM, strongly promoted the “yes” vote. He said it would make same-sex couples very happy, but not change anything else.
How wrong he was!
These days, affirming man-woman marriage – or quoting Bible verses about homosexual activity – can get you hauled before a tribunal, or sacked.
Just ask Archbishop Porteous, Rev Campbell Markham or Israel Folau.
Moreover, the recently passed Victorian “gay or trans conversion bill” even bans some consensual prayer!
The federal government set up an inquiry and promised legislation to fix the problem. But more than three years and two draft bills later, we’re still waiting.
So it was great to hear Hon Kevin Andrews (below), a former federal Liberal government minister and chair of the inquiry into the status of the human right to freedom of religion or belief, give us an update via our FamilyVoice webinar on 8 February.
Nearly 300 people registered on the night, but if you missed it you can catch up on our FamilyVoice YouTube channel.
Kevin paid tribute to the ongoing work of FamilyVoice. “It’s often been a tough battle, against the current zeitgeist which reigns supreme in the liberal media and elsewhere,” he said. “Your efforts, your prayerfulness, your thoughtfulness, your concern about the future of this country in a very real and substantive way – thank you very much!”
He then noted that many Australians think there is religious freedom in Australia – in practice, as well as in law.
“But in fact there is very little protection of religious freedom here,” he said. “There is some protection in the federal Constitution, but not in the states.”
Our problem in Australia today is that other human rights trump religious freedom. “Our anti-discrimination laws do not recognise the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948),” he said, “or its later expanded form, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).”
Article 18 in both treaties provide for the freedom of thought, conscience and religion. The ICCPR says this “right shall include freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice, and freedom, either individually or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in worship, observance, practice and teaching.”
This freedom to manifest one's religion or beliefs may be subject “only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary to protect public safety, order, health, or morals or the fundamental rights and freedoms of others.”
Article 18 also affirms the freedom of parents and legal guardians “to ensure the religious and moral education of their children in conformity with their own convictions.”
Victoria has a human rights charter. Queensland and the ACT have human rights acts. Yet none provides the degree of religious freedom protection of Article 18 of the ICCPR.
Kevin Andrews would like to see a commonwealth law incorporating Article 18 of the ICCPR. A third draft federal government bill to protect religious freedom is nearly ready, but Kevin says it is a “compromise”.
“Ten years ago I would have opposed such a bill because of the danger that judges could change its meaning,” he said (in part). “But the current lack of protection for religious freedom is so dire that I have changed my mind.”
Peter Downie - National Director
FamilyVoice Australia