Bitter-Sweet: CLP passes bill to amend Anti-Discrimination Act

The Country Liberal Party’s amendments to the Anti-Discrimination Act are bitter-sweet. In November 2022, Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro stood outside Parliament House with hundreds of concerned Territorians ahead of Labor’s controversial reforms to the Act. Those reforms removed protections for faith-based schools and introduced new vilifications laws that restricted freedom of speech and religion. At that rally, Ms Finocchiaro pledged, “You have our absolute commitment that if a CLP Government is elected in 2024, we will reverse these changes and restore the freedom of religion and restore the freedom of speech.” The announcement brought a lot of people hope in the face of a terrible bill. Three years on, instead of reversing and restoring protections that were taken, the CLP has provided a new solution, and nobody is really happy with it. CLP’s amendments regarding freedom of speech and religion are a step in the right direction but far less than Territorians were promised. The changes also fail to restore previous protections to faith-based schools, leaving some legal experts warning the Northern Territory could become the most hostile jurisdiction in Australia for faith schools. The CLP can't say with confidence that they have fulfilled their election commitment. #ACL #truthmadepublic #Auspol