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NSW needs major rethink of its proposed ban on conversion therapy

The NSW Government promised laws to ban harmful conversion therapy directed at an individual’s sexuality and not to follow the Victorian laws and to protect religious prayer and teaching. However the NSW Department of Justice Consultation Paper paid no attention and essentially copies the Victorian ban. ICS analysis shows the Victorian ban laws are an

By | October 3rd, 2023|Uncategorized|

Submission on the Anti-Discrimination Amendment (Religious Freedoms and Equality) Bill 2020 (NSW)

ICS supports NSW Bill on Religious Discrimination and unpicks erroneous criticism that the Bill preferences religion. Mark Sneddon appeared before the Committee on 23 October to speak to the submission. PDF available here. The need for Religious Discrimination Legislation in NSW now Australians who regularly practise their religion are in a minority. Those who follow

By | October 24th, 2020|Freedom of Conscience and Religion, Freedom of Expression|

Scare Campaign Against Bill Uses Hypotheticals, But Real People Need Its Protection

Australians who regularly practise their religion are in a minority. Those who follow traditional religious practices on matters like sexual ethics, marriage, sanctity of human life, prayer and fasting or religious dress are an unpopular minority in some quarters. Like other minorities, they experience discrimination, but they don’t have the same legal protection. All federal,

By | March 3rd, 2020|Freedom of Conscience and Religion|

Mark Sneddon on ABC TV: Israel Folau, freedom of speech, and freedom of religion

"The better remedy for views which you think are objectionable is to rebut them. The remedy for bad speech is good speech. The remedy for bad ideas is better arguments on the other side. And that's how a free society operates, and that's how hopefully we get closer to truth while not shutting each other

By | December 10th, 2019|Freedom of Conscience and Religion, Uncategorized|

Comments on the Exposure Draft of the Religious Discrimination Bill 2019 and the Human Rights Legislation Amendment (Freedom of Religion) Bill 2019

PDF version available here. Executive summary ICS believes that the Religious Discrimination Bill (RD Bill) has much to commend it. However, there are a number of amendments and improvements that should be made in order to bolster the protection of freedom of religion and to meet Australia’s obligations under Article 18 of the International Covenant on

By | September 25th, 2019|Freedom of Conscience and Religion|

Policy and Drafting Issues in a Religious Discrimination Bill

Revised 24 July 2019 PDF version here. This paper raises and makes recommendations concerning some key policy and drafting issues for a Religious Discrimination Act (RDA). It is recognised that an RDA is only the first step in implementing the government’s election commitments in relation to the Ruddock report and its response to broader concerns about

By | August 27th, 2019|Freedom of Conscience and Religion|

ICS’s responses to Senate Committee’s Questions on the Sex Discrimination Amendment Bill

On February 7, 2019, the Institute for Civil Society's Prof. Mark Sneddon and Dr Simon Kennedy appeared before the Senate Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee to further contribute to their inquiry into the Sex Discrimination Amendment (Removing Discrimination Against Students) Bill 2018. The Committee was appreciative of ICS's contribution to the inquiry and asked a

By | February 15th, 2019|Freedom of Association, Freedom of Conscience and Religion|

Greens’ 2018 Schools Bill to Regulate Sermons?

Pre-empting the release of the Ruddock Panel Report on Religious Freedom, the Greens recently introduced a Bill to the Senate. It seeks to amend the Sex Discrimination Act and risks the freedom of religious Australians. The leaked recommendations of the Ruddock Report would continue the current exemptions in the Sex Discrimination Act that allow religious

By | November 22nd, 2018|Freedom of Conscience and Religion|

Submission: Inquiry into Legislative Exemptions that Allow Faith-Based Educational Institutions to Discriminate Against Students, Teachers and Staff

This is a submission prepared for the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs. An inquiry was established to consider: Legislative exemptions that allow faith-based educational institutions to discriminate against students, teachers and staff, including on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity and other attributes covered by the Sex Discrimination Act 1984, with particular reference

By | November 21st, 2018|Freedom of Conscience and Religion|

ICS Submission to the Northern Territory Government on the Anti-Discrimination Act

In September 2017, the Northern Territory's Department of the Attorney General and Justice released a Discussion Paper about the "Modernisation of the Anti-Discrimination Act". They called for comments on the paper. The Institute for Civil Society made the following submission in January 2018. A PDF of the paper can be found here.   Comment on NT