Victoria Government Agrees To Broad Religious Exemptions In Discrimination Law

In the Australian state of Victoria, the attorney general has pre-empted a parliamentary committee and has announced an agreement with religious groups (including churches, schools, hospitals and welfare services) that will modify current law but still grant them broad exemptions from anti-discrimination prohibitions. According to The Age yesterday, the compromise permits religious groups to discriminate in employment and the furnishing of services on the basis of sex, sexuality, marital and parental status and gender identity, so long as they demonstrate how the discrimination relates to their religious doctrines. Thus conservative religious schools can refuse to hire single mothers or gays even for non-teaching positions, and Islamic groups can refuse to employ Christians. However religious groups will be barred from discriminating on the basis of race, disability, age, physical features, political beliefs or activity, or breastfeeding.