Anti-Discrimination Bill Before NT Parliament

This is what is happening

As you may be aware, Territorian political leaders are considering amending legislation that currently:

• Provides for a balance of human rights across our society
• Allows religious schools the right to employ staff based on their religious beliefs.

Attorney-General Chansey Paech recently introduced the Anti-Discrimination Bill 2022 into the NT parliament that, amongst other things, completely removes the ability of religious schools of all types to choose staff who share their beliefs and values.

In short, the Bill will no longer allow Christian schools to employ Christians (and other religious schools to employ in accordance with their beliefs).

More broadly, the Bill will compromise the exercise of Religious Freedom in the Northern Territory. As you will also see in the text of the petition, the fundamental issues are the removal of human rights recognised under Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights by proposing changes to the Anti-Discrimination Act 1992 that:

1. Remove protections for religious schools to maintain their religious character by:
   • preferencing people of the same religion in employment;
   • preferencing families of the same religion in enrolment;
   • preferencing people of the same religion in accommodation services;
2. Prohibit ‘offensive conduct’ that may include preaching and the reading of Scripture in public places, including in churches, mosques, temples and schools;
3. Require religious organisations to implement policies directly contradictory to their religious beliefs;
4. Allow ‘representative complaints’ to be made against religious organisations by groups hostile to religion and religious beliefs.

Things you can do immediately to assist

There is one thing that we really need to do now – raise our voices. We have a short time before this Bill might be passed in Parliament to share our concerns. Please take the opportunity to do so immediately should you share this concern with us.

We need to ensure the voices of the staff and parents of Christian Schools, along with people involved with other Christian organisations, are heard clearly. There are some ways you can engage with this:

1. Sign this petition to the NT government.
2. Send letters to your local representatives. The Australian Association of Christian Schools has developed some templates and a way to easily submit letters here: From AACS – a link to our email campaign page
3. Make a time to visit your NT local member: please consider contacting your local Territorian representative to communicate your own thoughts about the proposed amendments. Members of Parliament we are speaking to are not yet aware of the many people who might have an issue with this because they are not hearing directly from them. Please make the time to go and meet with your local representative.
4. Spread the word amongst the people you know, share the petition, and share the word that there are significant issues at stake here.
5. Please pray with us for all involved and for Christian schools and other organisations in the NT to continue operating as authentic Christian organisations, free from the proposed discrimination.