Leaders from prominent faith-based and religious community service organisations have come together to urge the Federal Government not to implement the Religious Discrimination Bill as proposed.

Anglicare Victoria, Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand, Jewish Care Victoria, McAuley Community Services for Women, Sacred Heart Mission, Uniting Vic.Tas, Uniting Communities, Brotherhood of St. Laurence, St. Mary’s House of Welcome, Relationship Matters, Anglicare South Australia, Mercy Connect, Jesuit Social Services have joined to voice their concerns about the latest draft of the Religious Discriminations Bill and its potential to allow people and organisations to use faith as a means to cause harm to clients, customers, staff and volunteers.

*Parliament House, Canberra. The government’s religious discrimination bill has yet to be presented to Parliament. (WikiCommons)*

“Although we come from different faiths, religions and cultures, we are united in our focus on community and social service,” their statement, issued last month, said.

“We are proud of the work we do. We believe a divisive national conversation about whether people of faith should be able to discriminate against people of no, or different faiths, is not in the national interest. It is our view that religious freedom must be balanced against the rights of the people.

“Religious organisations such as ours have demonstrated that it is possible to uphold the religious faith on which our work is founded – providing services to anyone who needs them – while at the same time respecting the diverse faith of our workforce, volunteers, clients and residents.”

The organisations said they were concerned that the legislation would have unintended consequences, where expressions of religious belief would be privileged above the rights and interests of other Australians in being free from discrimination.

The proposed Religious Discrimination Bill has the potential to create additional barriers for people in accessing medical services and housing, engaging in employment and participating in social and public life, they said.

For people who are marginalised and experiencing social exclusion, and have a limited ability to self-advocate, this is likely to cause further harm and distress.

Cathy Humphrey, CEO of Sacred Heart Mission said: “It is our view that the draft Religious Discrimination Bill will allow people and organisations to use faith as a means to cause harm, including excluding people from accessing essential services.”

“Sacred Heart Mission engages a diversity of people, staff and volunteers, to work across a wide range of services and in our opportunity shops. We do not discriminate on the basis of religion, race, disability, gender or sexual orientation. It is not our intention to do so, even in the event of a change in legislation,” she said.

“Today we reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that our services and workplaces are safe and welcoming for all people, regardless of their sexuality, gender orientation, marital status, ability or beliefs.”

The joint statement said the signatory organisations do not support the Religious Discrimination Bill as it currently stands.

“We urge the Federal Government to legislate to protect  religious  freedom without removing protections from those who need it.  Our laws should protect all of us, equally,” the statement said.

This article is based on a statement published on equality.org.au. Read it here.