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| Coalition and Centre Alliance delay vote on law to protect LGBT students | Coalition and Centre Alliance delay vote on law to protect LGBT students |
| (about 2 months later) | |
| Centre Alliance has voted with the Coalition to delay a vote on legislation to protect LGBT students from discrimination by repealing exemptions for religious schools. | Centre Alliance has voted with the Coalition to delay a vote on legislation to protect LGBT students from discrimination by repealing exemptions for religious schools. |
| Labor hoped to pass its bill in the Senate on Monday afternoon but senators Rex Patrick and Stirling Griff agreed to delay the vote in a move that will relieve pressure on the Morrison government by preventing a successful bill moving to the lower house. | Labor hoped to pass its bill in the Senate on Monday afternoon but senators Rex Patrick and Stirling Griff agreed to delay the vote in a move that will relieve pressure on the Morrison government by preventing a successful bill moving to the lower house. |
| A furious Penny Wong accused the minor party of “aiding and abetting” a Coalition attempt to “pervert the process of the Senate” because the government is concerned about losing control of the House of Representatives. | A furious Penny Wong accused the minor party of “aiding and abetting” a Coalition attempt to “pervert the process of the Senate” because the government is concerned about losing control of the House of Representatives. |
| On Thursday the Senate voted to debate Labor’s bill to repeal religious exemptions, introduced after negotiations between the Coalition and Labor to legislate protections for LGBT students broke down. | On Thursday the Senate voted to debate Labor’s bill to repeal religious exemptions, introduced after negotiations between the Coalition and Labor to legislate protections for LGBT students broke down. |
| Rowan Dean must be sacked by Sky and AFR over Sarah Hanson-Young article, say Greens | Rowan Dean must be sacked by Sky and AFR over Sarah Hanson-Young article, say Greens |
| The Senate agreed to gag debate and vote on the bill at 1.50pm on Monday, a move that could send it to the lower house, where the government is furiously lobbying its former member Julia Banks to avoid losing a vote on the religious freedom issue. | The Senate agreed to gag debate and vote on the bill at 1.50pm on Monday, a move that could send it to the lower house, where the government is furiously lobbying its former member Julia Banks to avoid losing a vote on the religious freedom issue. |
| Preventing discrimination on the grounds of sexuality and gender identity has widespread support among the crossbench in both the lower house and Senate, although the Greens, senator Derryn Hinch and MP Kerryn Phelps want Labor’s bill to protect school staff in addition to students. | Preventing discrimination on the grounds of sexuality and gender identity has widespread support among the crossbench in both the lower house and Senate, although the Greens, senator Derryn Hinch and MP Kerryn Phelps want Labor’s bill to protect school staff in addition to students. |
| On Monday afternoon, the Coalition leader in the Senate, Mathias Cormann, successfully moved a suspension of standing orders and a motion to overturn the gag. | On Monday afternoon, the Coalition leader in the Senate, Mathias Cormann, successfully moved a suspension of standing orders and a motion to overturn the gag. |
| Cormann flagged the government will try to refer the bill and amendments to a Senate committee. | Cormann flagged the government will try to refer the bill and amendments to a Senate committee. |
| Labor’s shadow attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, said the move killed off “any chances” of removing discrimination “this side of Christmas” although Wong immediately gave notice that on Tuesday Labor will push for a vote for the bill to debated and voted on Wednesday. | Labor’s shadow attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, said the move killed off “any chances” of removing discrimination “this side of Christmas” although Wong immediately gave notice that on Tuesday Labor will push for a vote for the bill to debated and voted on Wednesday. |
| Today the govt voted in the Senate to kill off any chances of removing discrimination against LGBTI kids in school this side of Christmas. Just a reminder - it is the government's OWN policy that they said would be law by now. Don't let kids be the victims of your chaos! #auspol | Today the govt voted in the Senate to kill off any chances of removing discrimination against LGBTI kids in school this side of Christmas. Just a reminder - it is the government's OWN policy that they said would be law by now. Don't let kids be the victims of your chaos! #auspol |
| Labor can also attempt to agitate the issue in the lower house, where Bill Shorten introduced his version of the private member’s bill on Monday. | Labor can also attempt to agitate the issue in the lower house, where Bill Shorten introduced his version of the private member’s bill on Monday. |
| Griff and Patrick told Guardian Australia that Centre Alliance voted to delay the final vote because they wanted time to consider government amendments that attempt to balance protection of LGBT students with religious freedom. | Griff and Patrick told Guardian Australia that Centre Alliance voted to delay the final vote because they wanted time to consider government amendments that attempt to balance protection of LGBT students with religious freedom. |
| The amendments allow schools to set rules and codes of conduct that indirectly discriminate against LGBT students where they are imposed “in good faith in order to avoid injury to the religious susceptibilities of adherents of that religion or creed”. | The amendments allow schools to set rules and codes of conduct that indirectly discriminate against LGBT students where they are imposed “in good faith in order to avoid injury to the religious susceptibilities of adherents of that religion or creed”. |
| Griff said there was “no major breakdown of problems” with schools expelling gay students and Labor wanted an early vote as “a bit of politics in the last week of the [parliamentary] year to beat the Liberals with”. | Griff said there was “no major breakdown of problems” with schools expelling gay students and Labor wanted an early vote as “a bit of politics in the last week of the [parliamentary] year to beat the Liberals with”. |
| Patrick reiterated the party supports removing discrimination but wanted to put “policy over politics” because the bill had become complex. Centre Alliance will vote to send the bill to committee, which may not report back until next year. | Patrick reiterated the party supports removing discrimination but wanted to put “policy over politics” because the bill had become complex. Centre Alliance will vote to send the bill to committee, which may not report back until next year. |
| Wong told the Senate that Centre Alliance had acted “contrary to their indication that they would support LGBTIQ kids” by helping to delay the vote “on a bill they reckon they support”. | Wong told the Senate that Centre Alliance had acted “contrary to their indication that they would support LGBTIQ kids” by helping to delay the vote “on a bill they reckon they support”. |
| Wong said the “only reason” behind Cormann’s procedural move was that “he is worried about the survival of the government on the floor of the House of Representatives”. | Wong said the “only reason” behind Cormann’s procedural move was that “he is worried about the survival of the government on the floor of the House of Representatives”. |
| “He has lost control. This is an indication of the chaos that is the Morrison government. | “He has lost control. This is an indication of the chaos that is the Morrison government. |
| “That they have to upend the Senate and not vote on protecting LGBTIQ kids, because they are so worried about the lack of control they have of the House of Representatives.” | “That they have to upend the Senate and not vote on protecting LGBTIQ kids, because they are so worried about the lack of control they have of the House of Representatives.” |
| Wong accused the Coalition of “lying … about this issue through the Wentworth byelection” because on 13 October Scott Morrison wrote to Labor saying that the government does not support discrimination against LGBT students. | Wong accused the Coalition of “lying … about this issue through the Wentworth byelection” because on 13 October Scott Morrison wrote to Labor saying that the government does not support discrimination against LGBT students. |
| Morrison had promised to introduce amendments “as soon as practicable” and suggested that parliament could address the matter in “the next fortnight”. | Morrison had promised to introduce amendments “as soon as practicable” and suggested that parliament could address the matter in “the next fortnight”. |
| The attorney general, Christian Porter, told Sky News the human rights commissioner determines the “reasonableness” of school rules, and the government amendments would ensure he or she has regard to the school’s religious doctrine and the best interests of the child. | The attorney general, Christian Porter, told Sky News the human rights commissioner determines the “reasonableness” of school rules, and the government amendments would ensure he or she has regard to the school’s religious doctrine and the best interests of the child. |
| “No one has said to me that that is an unreasonable thing to do so that we can draw the decision-makers’ attention to the fact there are two rights being balanced against each other here: the right of the student not to be discriminated against and the right of religious Australians to organise themselves in schools that reflect their [beliefs].” | “No one has said to me that that is an unreasonable thing to do so that we can draw the decision-makers’ attention to the fact there are two rights being balanced against each other here: the right of the student not to be discriminated against and the right of religious Australians to organise themselves in schools that reflect their [beliefs].” |
| Under the government amendments, school policies would automatically be judged reasonable if parents and students are forewarned about them. | Under the government amendments, school policies would automatically be judged reasonable if parents and students are forewarned about them. |
| All forms of teaching – including religious instruction – are also protected by an amendment to specify that they cannot be considered unlawful discrimination provided they are in line with the doctrines of the school’s religion. | All forms of teaching – including religious instruction – are also protected by an amendment to specify that they cannot be considered unlawful discrimination provided they are in line with the doctrines of the school’s religion. |
| Earlier in Senate debate, Labor’s Jacinta Collins indicated Labor will oppose the Coalition amendments, labelling them “clumsy provisions” that would “create the same types of problems in terms of public regard” as the existing exemptions, seen by backlash after the leak of the Ruddock review. | Earlier in Senate debate, Labor’s Jacinta Collins indicated Labor will oppose the Coalition amendments, labelling them “clumsy provisions” that would “create the same types of problems in terms of public regard” as the existing exemptions, seen by backlash after the leak of the Ruddock review. |
| Collins moved a second reading amendment noting that nothing in the Sex Discrimination Act prevents schools teaching the doctrines of their faith. | Collins moved a second reading amendment noting that nothing in the Sex Discrimination Act prevents schools teaching the doctrines of their faith. |
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| Centre Alliance | Centre Alliance |
| Scott Morrison | Scott Morrison |
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