Discrimination
Media and commentary related to our work to strengthen and modernise anti-discrimination laws, to protect human rights and ensure fair access to services, education, work and culture.
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Yahoo News (AAP): Trans jail ban sparks outrage amid inmate safety debate
We spoke up to counter transphobic comments and policies by state and territory governments.
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Online forum: LGBTQ discrimination in religious schools and organisations
Join Anglican Minister and academic Rev Dr Angus McLeay in conversation with discrimination law expert and LGBTQ+ advocate Alastair Lawrie to explore the intersection between ‘religious freedom’ and anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination in Australian religious schools and organisations. WHEN: 1-2pm, Tuesday 19 August 2025RSVP: [email protected] —————————————————————————— In many parts of Australia, the law permits religious schools and social…
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New criminal offence for inciting hatred ‘excludes more groups than it actually protects’
Today, NSW Parliament passed the Minns Government’s Crimes Amendment (Inciting Racial Hatred) Bill 2025. As a result: While courts have confirmed that ‘racial hatred’ includes antisemitism, other types of prejudice regularly covered by anti-discrimination laws (including Islamophobia) are not covered. Attorney General Michael Daley has only committed to ‘consider’ adding other attributes to be protected…
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Proposed hate crimes laws leave vulnerable groups unprotected
The Minns Government’s Crimes Amendment (Inciting Racial Hatred) Bill 2025 fails to protect many vulnerable groups in the NSW community.
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LSJ: Drawing the line on hate: Are Australia’s new laws the answer, or an overreach?
Commentary from Director of Policy and Advocacy, Alastair Lawrie, was featured in analysis of new hate speech laws.
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2SER: How New Hate Crime Laws Fail To Protect LGBTIQ+ People
JEC Director of Policy and Advocacy, Alastair Lawrie, explains how LGBTIQ+ people remain unprotected despite recent changes to NSW Hate Speech laws.
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LSJ: Minns government dangerously disregards anti-LGBTIQ+ hatred
JEC Director of Policy and Advocacy, Alastair Lawrie, explains how the NSW Government’s hate crime laws fail to protect LGBTIQ+ people.
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AAP: LGBTQI protections bolstered, but not completely
New Equality laws are a step in the right direction, but still fail to protect all LGBTQI people in NSW.
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Equality Bill ‘an important step, but not the end of the journey’
The Equality Bill will make real change for gender diverse people in NSW, but the Anti-Discrimination Act still requires urgent reform.
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2SER: Federal Government under fire for lack of LGBTQI+ representation in 2026 census
Director of Policy and Advocacy, Alastair Lawrie, explained why the Government needs to do more to include LGBTQI+ Australians in the next Census.
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The Guardian: Hate speech bill won’t address ‘rising tide of public homophobia’
Alastair Lawrie, Director of Policy and Advocacy, commented on the Government’s proposed hate speech bill.
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ABC News: After a change of heart, some LGBTQI+ people will be included in the census — but not all
Director of Policy and Advocacy Alastair Lawrie said the Census must include questions on sexual orientation, gender identity and innate variations of sex characteristics
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The Canberra Times: The govt has dropped the ball on protecting LGBTQ students and teachers
Director of Policy and Advocacy, Alastair Lawrie, wrote about the Government’s failure to protect LGBTQ students from discrimination in religious schools.
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The Guardian: Queensland Labor shelves reforms to stop faith-based schools discriminating against gay teachers
Director of Policy and Advocacy Alastair Lawrie told the Guardian there was ‘no justification’ for stalling reform.
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The Daily Aus: Christian school apologises for anti-LGBTQ+ contract
Our call to remove faith-based schools’ anti-discrimination exemptions was covered in the Daily Aus.
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Citipointe ‘Expression of Regret’ Points Way for Commonwealth and NSW on Protecting LGBTQ Students
NSW and Commonwealth laws should offer the same protections as Queensland’s Anti-Discrimination Act.
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SMH: Citipointe Christian College reaches settlement with parents over gender contracts
Director of Policy and Advocacy Alastair Lawrie commented to the Sydney Morning Herald.
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Onus on NSW Government to support Equality Bill
The NSW Government should support the Equality Bill following an Inquiry’s recommendation.
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The Canberra Times: LGBTQI reforms bring NSW in line with other states
Director of Policy and Advocacy Alastair Lawrie provided comments to the Canberra Times.
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Star Mail: Debate rumbles on regarding religious discrimination law reform
Our support of the ALRC’s recommendations on discrimination in religious schools was covered in the Star Mail.
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2SER: Religious discrimination and religious schools, what’s going on?
Director of Policy and Advocacy Alastair Lawrie joined 2SER Breakfast to provide an update about proposed changes to discrimination law.
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The Canberra Times: Ending discrimination won’t cause the sky to fall
Our Director of Policy and Advocacy, Alastair Lawrie, wrote an op-ed on discrimination in faith based schools.
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SMH: Fury as Albanese told to scrap religious schools rule
Religious schools should lose their unfettered right to dismiss teachers and expel students over questions of sexuality or gender identity, the nation’s law reform commission has found, in an explosive report that calls for action to safeguard human rights. … Equality Australia called it a “blueprint for reform” and cited Thorpe and others in support…
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Guardian live blog: PIAC calls ‘on the federal government to adopt the recommendations of the Australian Law Reform Commission’s anti-discrimination inquiry’
Alastair Lawrie, Director of Policy and Advocacy, commented on the ALRC’s recommendations.
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Government must act on ALRC recommendations to protect LGBTQ students and teachers
The Public Interest Advocacy Centre welcomes today’s release of the Australian Law Reform Commission’s (ALRC) report from its inquiry into the special legal privileges that allow religious schools to discriminate against LGBTQ students and teachers. The ALRC report recommends amendments to the Sex Discrimination Act and Fair Work Act to ensure students and staff do…
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SMH: Albanese’s sudden retreat on religious discrimination sparks Dutton fury
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has sparked a political firestorm over gay rights, gender and religious freedom by vowing to shelve changes to discrimination law unless he gains Coalition support for new rules for thousands of schools and other faith-based institutions. The sudden move marks a retreat on Labor’s election pledge to update the law to…
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PM must keep promise to protect LGBTQ students and teachers in religious schools
The Public Interest Advocacy Centre is extremely concerned at media reports that the Albanese Government may backtrack on its promise to reform federal discrimination law to protect LGBTQ students and teachers in religious schools against discrimination. According to media reports the Prime Minister has said the reforms will only proceed if the Dutton Opposition agrees…
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Guardian live blog: PIAC calls on Labor to keep promise to protect LGBTQ+ students and teachers
The Public Interest Advocacy Centre has called on the Albanese government to keep its promise to protect LGBTQI+ students and teachers.
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A 10-point test for fair anti-discrimination law reform
Director of Policy and Advocacy, Alastair Lawrie, explains what new anti-discrimination law must do to get our support.