Equal Opportunity amendments maintain fair and sensible balance

(Letter published by The Age newspaper on 31st May 2011)

LETTER-WRITERS have claimed that the government’s amendments to the Equal Opportunity Act will give religious organisations the power to sack employees on the basis of their “lifestyle” and deny services to individuals on discriminatory grounds. Both claims are false.

The government’s amendments simply continue the position that enables faith-based organisations to employ people who share their faith. This has been the position since 1995 and it enjoyed bipartisan support until Labor’s legislation last year sought to deny faith-based organisations that freedom from August 1 this year.

The amendments make no change to the law regarding provision of services by faith-based organisations.

The government’s amendments seek to restore a fair and sensible balance between preventing discrimination while also respecting freedom of association.

Robert Clark, Attorney-General