It was a dark day for the Territory as the Fyles Labor government rammed their freedom-destroying Anti-Discrimination Bill through parliament today.
Leader of the Opposition Lia Finocchiaro said while some important common sense protections were contained in the Bill, Labor had sacrificed both freedom of speech and freedom of religion in the process.
“The attacks on freedom are out of step with most Territorians, who assume those freedoms are inalienable rights,” she said.
“I can assure Territorians the CLP, if elected in 2024, will restore the freedom of speech and freedom of religion that this Bill destroyed.”
Deputy Leader of the Opposition Gerard Maley said the good parts of the new law were overshadowed by the bad.
“There are some common sense changes and that’s good but this Bill contained just as much discrimination as it contained anti-discrimination,” he said.
“Labor has declared open season on religion and people of faith as well as the larrikin culture that Territorians live and love.
“Natasha Fyles has tried to play down the implications of broadening the definition of defence, saying it would only apply in cases of ‘profound and serious’ offence. But those terms do not appear in the Bill.”
Mr Maley said Territory Labor may yet have to repeal their own legislation before it takes effect, pending the outcome of the Australian Law Reform Commission’s report next year.
“The Commission is considering how Federal laws can allow educational institutions to ‘build a community of faith by giving preference, in good faith, to persons of the same religion as the educational institution in the selection of staff’,” he said.
“We could see Labor at odds with itself and introducing Federal laws that override these radical Territory laws.”
ENDS