PM stands by plan to introduce religious discrimination law without changing sex discrimination act at same time - ABC News

The Prime Minister is standing by his decision to push ahead with the religious discrimination act without making changes to protect gay students at the same time.

Key points:

• Moderate Liberals say they want the government to pursue the religious discrimination act and changes to the sex discrimination act at the same time
• They have raised concerns about the need for protections for LGBTIQ children in religious schools
• Mr Morrison said on Saturday: "We will deal with RDA first"

The government attempted to pass the legislation earlier this year, with Scott Morrison saying it would better protect faith communities from religious discrimination.

Plans were also put in place to amend a section of the sex discrimination act (SDA) at the same time so students would not be expelled on the basis of their sexual orientation.

Those changes were introduced after concerns were raised by Labor and some moderate Liberals about the need for protections for LGBTQI children in religious schools.

However, Mr Morrison has said he will handle the matter differently if re-elected. And today he defended his decision to push ahead with the religious discrimination act (RDA) as a standalone piece of legislation.

"[The sex discrimination act will] be a separate issue and that would be a function of being able to deal with the other matter first," he said.

"We will deal with RDA first."

The promise to introduce the RDA was made before the 2019 election.

Election news:

Mr Morrison was today asked to provide a new time line on how he would handle the matter if he won this time around. 

"Let's see what happens at the election and let's just see what the Australian people decide," he said.

"I would like to see this happen."

Liberal MPs Trent Zimmerman, Fiona Martin, Katie Allen and Bridget Archer crossed the floor over the religious freedom laws. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)

Moderate Liberals have made clear their desire for the government to handle the RDA and changes to the SDA at the same time.

Mr Morrison was asked if his decision not to address protections for gay students at the same time would inflame tensions within his own party.

"Our commitment was to go forward with the RDA, and we will go forward with the RDA in in its own right, and I look forward to that getting the support in the parliament," he said

Analysis from our experts:

Senior government minister Sussan Ley was pressed on whether it was appropriate to keep the issues separate. She insisted it was not something to discuss during the election campaign.

"As I understand, those two issues will be treated separately after the election," she said.

"I am not focused on what happens after the election, I am focused on … what happens in the next two weeks.

"Right now we are not painting a picture of what we might do in government after the election. We are working very hard every day between now and May 21," she said.

Her comments come despite the Prime Minister spending the past four weeks outlining what a Coalition government would do if re-elected.

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https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMibWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIyLTA1LTA3L3ByaW1lLW1pbmlzdGVyLXJlbWFpbnMtZmlybS1vbi1yZWxpZ2lvdXMtZGlzY3JpbWluYXRpb24tYmlsbC8xMDEwNDcyMDDSAQA?oc=5

2022-05-07 08:05:20Z
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