Victorian Liberals Block Equal Opportunity Laws

The Victorian Liberal National Coalition’s has decided to oppose a key equality Bill which would have improved the lives of thousands of Victorians.

The Bill would have ensured a fair and more contemporary balance between the right to religious freedom and the right to be free from discrimination.

Earlier this year, the Victorian Labor Government introduced the Equal Opportunity Amendment (Religious Exceptions) Bill 2016 to protect Victorian workers from discrimination when seeking employment at religious bodies or schools.

Members of the Victorian Liberal National Coalition enjoyed the safety of parliamentary privilege to make offensive comments, before voting against the Bill:

Bernie Finn said the “Safe Schools program is a premeditated deliberate attack on our children”

Robert Clark said “I believe homosexual practices form a destructive way of life, destructive to the individual and destructive to other individuals who are brought into the way of life”

The Minister for Equality Martin Foley commented ““The Liberals can’t keep talking out of both sides of their mouths – they’re either for equality or they’re not.”