Sydney Anglican leaders say proposed changes to the Anti-Discrimination Act will be a significant threat to freedom of religion in NSW.
The Registrar of Sydney Diocese, Dr Philip Selden, says changes to the Act proposed by the Greens Party "threatens the freedom of our schools, colleges, churches and other organisations to be distinctively Christian'.
Greens MP Lee Rhiannon first launched a proposal to change the Anti-Discrimination Act in March 2004, seeking to remove the exemptions that currently allow religious organisations to discriminate when selecting people for employment.
"[The changes] would prevent private educational authorities such as Christian schools and theological colleges from choosing not to employ a teacher even if the teacher is not prepared to practice and support the Christian beliefs and values of the organisation," Mr Selden said.
"[It would] prevent religious bodies such as churches from choosing not to offer their services to certain members of the public even if to do so would contravene their religious doctrine," he said.
Ms Rhiannon presented parliament with her second reading speech on the Anti-Discrimination Amendment (Equality in Education and Employment) Bill in October this year, hoping to remove the "loopholes that allow legal discrimination to continue'.
"At present a private school can legally fire a teacher because his or her marriage ends in divorce. A student at a private school in NSW can legally be expelled for coming out as gay or lesbian…these legal discrimination loopholes are morally repugnant," she said.
Ms Rhiannon said the internal affairs of religious bodies will remain exempt under the Act with issues such as the ordination of priests or internal church practices or doctrines not being subject to the Bill.
The NSW State Director of the Christian Democratic Party, Phil Lamb, says the Bill is "draconian' and would have serious ramifications for Christian schools.
"Private schools including Christian schools will no longer be able to legally discriminate against employing or educating homosexuals," he said.
"It is part and parcel of our right to free religious expression to be able to legally discriminate in such a way because of traditional biblical teachings on homosexuality."
Ms Rhiannon said there is a "clear and obvious' distinction between religious organisations and schools, charities or businesses operated by religious organisations.
"When religious organisations interact with the public as service providers, businesses or de facto government agencies the ordinary rules of society ought to apply," she says.
The CEO of the Sydney Anglican Schools Corporation, Dr Laurie Scandrett believes the Bill "would not be helpful for Anglican Schools'.
"It would not be helpful to our contribution to the ongoing mission," he said.
However, Dr Scandrett says if "push came to shove' Christian schools would likely still be protected by Federal Government legislation.
"The Association of Independent Schools have received legal advice that Federal legislation overrides State legislation. What is being proposed is an amendment to the State legislation, so some would argue that if push came to shove the Federal legislation would hold sway," Dr Scandrett said.
The debate was called on and adjourned on motion by the Hon Peter Primrose early last month.
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