Anti-discrimination laws discriminate!

An excellent article on a National Charter of 'rights' and the Victorian Government's Exceptions Review of anti discrimination laws has been written by Peter Costello.

It appeared in today's Age newspaper....

"WHAT happens when equal rights between men and women are so widely accepted that mainstream Australia hardly thinks about it? Surely it is time to acknowledge that anti-discrimination statutes have done their job?

"Not according to the Victorian Government. It harbours the view that discrimination has got sophisticated - so hard to find under current law - that we must widen the law to catch more of it. One area in the State Government's sights is religious bodies, and their schools.

"There is another inquiry going at the moment, set up by the Commonwealth Government, to look at promoting human rights. It is looking at a statutory charter of rights just like the one Victoria has. No one will tell you that the purpose of such a Commonwealth charter will be to curtail religious conscience or practice. But it will work out the same way. 

"As community legal services make clear - their view is that religious conscience encourages prejudice. Once the churches and religious conscience are out of the way, lawyers will have a clear run. Lawsuits will be used to decide the great moral questions of the age. You can see what's in it for the lawyers. But don't think it is a step forward for liberty."

Peter Costello is MHR for Higgins.

Read the full article online at The Age.