"Regrettably,the protection of religious freedom in Australia is used unfairly as a political football or an opportunity to make unsubstantiated assertions. The complaints process is also becoming,for a small minority,a tool to wage'lawfare'against religious individuals and institutions,"the NCEC said in its submission.
The Australian Law Reform Commission is also reviewing laws concerning the dismissal of LGBTI students and teachers,but the Catholic schools body said this should be ditched and dealt with in the religious freedom legislation.
Ms Collins said she was not fully happy with the bill"at the moment"and had"overriding concerns that state[laws] can still prevail",but would work with Mr Porter to improve it.
Mr Porter this week moved to assure independent schools their concerns about the bill were based on a"misunderstanding"over the detail. However,Ms Collins said her concerns about those provisions remained.
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In a 27-page submission to the government on behalf of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference,the Archbishop of Melbourne Peter Comensoli said the laws"require some significant amendment"to properly assist people of faith.
He stressed religious hospitals and aged-care facilities"must"be included as religious bodies and enjoy the same hiring and firing rights as religious schools,with the Catholic Church the largest non-government provider of healthcare services in Australia.
"There is no principled justification for their exclusion,"the Archbishop said. These freedoms should also extend to religious publishers,"retreat centres"and other commercial facilities,he said.
Mr Porter gave a strong indication those requests might be acted on,saying the draft bill was a"starting position"and he was"acutely aware of the important role that religious hospitals and aged-care providers play".
The church is also concerned the bill overrides only Tasmania's anti-discrimination laws,which it finds particularly egregious,and allows other state laws to stand.
While promising,the legislation requires further work.
Archbishop of Melbourne Peter Comensoli
Archbishop Comensoli said it was"very important the bills not be framed in such a way as to give judges the opportunity to rule on the details of religious belief,as that is an area beyond their competence and which should be outside the law".
"While promising,the legislation requires further work,"Archbishop Comensoli wrote.
Other faith groups have complained about the draft laws,including the Sydney Anglican diocese,which said the flaws were"so serious"it could not be supported in its current form.
The government wants to pass the legislation through Parliament by the end of the year,but must first gain the approval of the Coalition party room,and then the support of the Senate. Labor has reserved its position on the bill.