Attorney-General Christian Porter is pushing back on calls from within the Coalition to exempt religious beliefs from employment contracts, which could afford legal protection to views like those expressed by rugby player Israel Folau.
Christian Porter was sworn in as Attorney-General and Minister for Industrial Relations on Wednesday.Mr Porter is preparing to pre sent a religious discrimination bill to Parliament as soon as July. This was a Coalition election commitment and wasEmboldened by the strong support from religious voters at the recent federal election, some Coalition MPs are now calling for more far-reaching religious freedom provisions in the new laws.
But Mr Porter told 6PR radio on Thursday that the Folau case was a "very complicated legal question". "What I would say is that we're not necessarily in the business in government of trying to prevent individuals privately contracting the terms of their employment in a fair and balanced and reasonable way with their employer in a range circumstances.
CanberraCamper Good on cporterwa for pushing back on this ridiculous proposal. Religious freedom, sure, whatever. But to enshrine in law that an employer must tolerate the intolerant is ridiculous. Can Muslim bosses dictate the dress code and interactions their women employees have at work?
CanberraCamper It is not a law...yet. It would be more appropriate to call it happyclappysloganboganlaw
CanberraCamper 'Folau's Law' cut to the heart of democracy and the separation of church and State. Matthew 22:21 Jesus said 'Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God the things that are God's.'
CanberraCamper Good man. Did we learn nothing from the crazy lady that wouldn't issue marriage certificates to gay couples? Faith based exemptions in employment simply do not withstand legal scrutiny. Yes, prima facie, it appears to be a complex question but the result is unquestionable.
CanberraCamper We didn't vote for this NO MANDATE
CanberraCamper Can we please stop calling this Folau's law? There is no freaken law!
CanberraCamper Freedom of speech and freedom of religion. Are we fighting for any freedoms by taking other freedoms away ?